Flood kills UNIZIK primary school pupil in Awka

A pupil of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) Primary School, Awka, Anambra State, Success Ezenwafor, has died after floodwaters swept away the school shuttle bus at the ring road area of the town.

Ezenwafor was among schoolchildren travelling in the bus when it was overtaken by floodwaters along the Awka-Nibo-Nise-Enugwu-Ukwu Ring Road in Awka South Local Government Area.

His body was reportedly recovered on Tuesday during a search operation following the incident.

Uche Nworah, former Managing Director of the Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), disclosed the development in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

Nworah said the recovery of the pupil’s body was confirmed by Chinedu Okafor, Mayor of Awka South Local Government Area, who was involved in the rescue operation.

“The body of the missing child, Success Ezenwafor, has been recovered. The other children are in stable condition and receiving medical treatment at the hospital. I am at Amaku Teaching Hospital at the moment,” Okafor was quoted as saying.

According to Nworah, Ezenwafor’s parents reported him missing on Tuesday shortly after the heavy rainfall and flooding in the area.

Two other children from the Ezenwafor family were also reportedly in the vehicle but were rescued.

A family member told Nworah that the pupil helped create an escape route for some of the children trapped inside the vehicle before he was swept away by the floodwaters.

The family member said Ezenwafor broke one of the vehicle’s windows, enabling some of the other children to escape.

“According to him, Success broke one of the vehicle’s windows, creating an escape route through which others were able to get out. Sadly, he could not make it to safety himself,” Nworah reported.

The circumstances surrounding the incident have brought renewed attention to the risks posed by flooding along roads and other areas of Awka following heavy rainfall.

The incident also left Ezenwafor’s family mourning the loss of the child, who had reportedly left home for school earlier that day.

Nworah said the boy’s father recalled his final moments with his son before he left for school on Tuesday.

According to the account, Ezenwafor kissed his father on both cheeks, said goodbye and boarded the school shuttle.

“He tragically never returned home,” Nworah said.

The other children involved in the incident were rescued and taken to Amaku Teaching Hospital for medical attention, according to the account.

The death of the young pupil has cast a shadow over what began as an ordinary school day, with the reported actions of Ezenwafor during the emergency becoming part of the family’s account of the tragedy.

Authorities and residents involved in the rescue operation continued efforts to assist those affected by the flooding and provide medical attention to survivors.