My Daughter’s Death A Big Loss

The mother of a 7-year old Primary 2 pupil of UNA Primary School, Iju Ishaga, Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, Mrs. Bimbola Ige, has described the death of her daughter, Rukayat, as a big loss to the family.

The distraught mother said the vacuum created by Rukayat’s death would be difficult to fill.

Mrs. Ige, who is a petty trader at Ajuwon, in Ogun state, told P.M.NEWS that she was the only one taking care of the children since she divorced her husband some years back with the little profit she makes from her trade.

The deceased was coming from school on Thursday, 4 July, 2013 around 3pm in company of her elder sister Rodiat  when she fell into a canal along Victor Street and was swept away by flood.

The corpse was discovered early on Sunday morning by a resident who alerted residents of the area.

P.M.NEWS gathered that the Chairman of Ifako Ijaye Local Government, Toba Oke and the head of Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, Mr. Femi Osanyintolu were immediately informed about the incident.

While  Osanyintolu and his team rushed to the scene, Oke sent his Supervisor for Environment, Taofeek Olayinka and Waheeb Kareem, Supervisor for Agriculture to the scene after which the corpse was removed.

The corpse was later handed over to the family for burial and it was buried beside the canal immediately.

Speaking with P.M.NEWS, Chairman of Liberty Community Development Association in the area, Mr. John Kudaisi appealed to the Lagos State, Government to find lasting solution to the danger the canal poses to residents of the area.

—Yusuf Muhammed