Tragedy struck in Omu, Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State on Saturday when two young boys, simply identified as Tunde, aged 24, and a teenager, known as Samad plunged into a river while riding on a motorcycle.
According to Eyewitness account, the ugly incident occurred on a loosely-constructed bridge on the river, which is the boundary between Osogbo, the state capital and Obokun local government.
A source disclosed that the deceased were heading to one of the villages in the community to bring their father to Osogbo for the weekend when their motorcycle slipped on the plank used as a temporary bridge and plunged into the river.
The source further disclosed that: “Tunde usually come to the village to take his father to Osogbo for the weekend and the elderly man returned on Monday, but this Saturday, he was with his cousin, Samad, who was about 16. Their motorcycle slipped on the plank bridge and while struggling to avoid serious injury, they fell into the river.”
Efforts made to safe them proved abortive as they were brought out of the river dead by local divers who spent several minutes to try retrieve their bodies.
WITHIN NIGERIA learnt that the incident was reported at Ibokun Police station, no policeman visited the scene except the Divisional Police Officer, who came after the bodies have been evacuated by the victim’s relatives.
Meanwhile, the head of Odu village, Mahruf Adekunle who was at the scene, confirmed the incident, however, implored government authorities to come to the aid of the communities in the area by repairing the bridge, with a view to avoiding needless death.
According to him “How many more lives must be lost before government come to help rebuild this bridge, it collapsed during a flood in August and we have since been crying to government officials to reconstruct it to no avail. Now two innocent young men have become casualties.
“The bridge connects Koka, Omu, Odu, Anjo, Kole villages and other hamlets to the state capital and we plead with the state government to help us,” Adekunle lamented.
