A man has died while attempting to rescue a toddler who fell into a domestic well in Abule Egba, Lagos State, while the child’s body remains unrecovered despite a search operation by emergency responders....
A man has died while attempting to rescue a toddler who fell into a domestic well in Abule Egba, Lagos State, while the child’s body remains unrecovered despite a search operation by emergency responders.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, October 20, at No. 4, Paul Street, inward Agbe Road, after the toddler, whose mother worked as a cleaner in the compound, reportedly fell into the well.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said it received a distress call at 9:48 a.m. and immediately deployed its response team from the Igando Base.
According to the agency, a member of the Hausa community entered the well in an attempt to save the child but became trapped and was later recovered dead.
LASEMA, working with the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps and the Nigeria Police Force, launched a coordinated rescue operation.
However, the well’s depth, high water level and thick mud hampered efforts to recover the toddler.
In a statement signed by its Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, LASEMA said dewatering efforts proved difficult, prompting the deployment of a specialist local diver for a final search.
The diver reportedly determined that the toddler’s body had sunk deep into the mud and could not be retrieved. Only one of the child’s shoes was recovered.
Following an expert assessment and consultations with the family and community leaders, the agency announced the conclusion of the search operation.
LASEMA said the deceased rescuer’s remains had been handed over to his relatives and members of the Hausa community for burial in accordance with their customs.
Oke-Osanyintolu expressed condolences to the bereaved families and the Hausa community, commending the man for risking his life in an attempt to save the child.
The agency urged residents to ensure that wells and other openings within residential premises are properly covered and secured, particularly in homes where young children live.
It also advised residents to contact emergency responders through the toll-free numbers 767 and 112 rather than attempt dangerous rescue operations that could result in further casualties.