From: WOLE BALOGUN, Ado-Ekiti
A 33-year old commercial motorcyclist identified as Ajeniyi Victor wa,s on Monday evening, killed by flood caused by two hours of torrential downpour in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.
Victor’s body was found in the early hour of Tuesday by search party and police deployed by the commissioner of Police, Mr. Abdullahi Chafe to search for his corpse along Elemi’s bank in Ado-Ekiti.
Witnesses confirmed to journalists that the deceased was swept away by flood along with his motorbike, while trying to cross a bridge built on Elemi River at Ayemi, along Iworoko road in the state capital.
The source said the ‘okada’ man, conveying two passengers had got to that point where the bridge had been overwhelmed by fast-flowing water and rather than taking a detour , he was said to have dared the fast-flowing water and decided to cross , even when many had tried without succeeding.
“But while trying to cross, he lost control in the Elémi channel at Ayewa garage area of Adebayo. He ignored the entreaties and admonitions by motorists and other commercial motorcyclists, who had earlier failed in their attempt to cross the channel, and had decided to wait for the water to recede.
“He had two passengers, but that the passengers had chosen not to go with him but he insisted that he had the knowledge of the way and how best to wade through the water.
“When he lost control and water was taking away his bike, he tried to rescue the bike and along the line, he fell . The onlookers were helpless when he lost control, and that they had watched helplessly from afar as he was overwhelmed by the flood.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Ekiti State Police Command, Mr. Alberto Adeyemi, in reaction to the development, confirmed the incident, saying the police joined in searching for the deceased’s corpse.
“It was an unfortunate incident because the incident could have been averted if he had taken precaution. We have been able to identify him and his body has been taken to the morgue at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital in Ado-Ekiti”, he said.