Man, 52, found dead inside well in Ilorin

From Taiwo Ogunniyi, Ilorin

A 52-year-old man,  Alaba Ayeni, was yesterday found dead inside a domestic well near Lamp Bearers Islamic School, off Asa-Dam Road, Ilorin, Kwara State.

The incident was reportedly discovered by children in the area, who raised the alarm after noticing that a man was inside the well and alerted community elders.

Following the distress call, operatives of the Kwara State Fire Service arrived at the scene at about 8:42am and commenced a rescue operation.

The firefighters later recovered Ayeni’s body from the well and handed it over to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Bolaji, of the Budo-Nuhu Police Station for further investigation. The state Fire Service, in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, PFO Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, said the well was reportedly located close to the deceased’s residence.

Reacting to the incident, the Chief Fire Officer(CFS) Alabi Muhammed, expressed concern over the death and urged residents to properly cover and secure domestic wells and other open water sources around their homes.

Muhammed also advised parents, guardians and community leaders to ensure that children are not allowed to move around unattended near wells, drainage channels and other potentially dangerous areas. He commiserated with the family and community over the incident, assuring residents that the Fire Service would continue to respond promptly to emergencies and protect lives and property across the state.

The incident has heightened concerns over the need for households and communities to properly secure domestic wells to prevent avoidable deaths and accidents.