By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Iboko Offot Community
in Uyo, the capital city of Akwa Ibom State was thrown into a sad mood following the death of a 60-year-old woman who was swept away by flood occasioned by the Wednesday’s first torrential rains of the year.
An eye witness to the scene of the tragic incident, Theresa Sunday told our correspondent that the victim said to be a petty trader along Nkemba Street, was returning from the market where she went to buy her goods.
The torrential rainfall which left the entire stretch of Abak Road bye Nkemba Street axis of Uyo flooded for hours, causing many people including motorists to avoid the area within the period.
The woman whose name was not readily known as at when filing this report was trekking through the flood around 4.30pm when she was swept away and eventually drowned in an open drainage.
“We made efforts to rescue her when we noticed she was being swept away uncontrollably by the flood water.
“Before we got to her, the fast-moving water had already drawn her closer to an open hole linking the underground drainage facility”, Theresa added.
She recalled that “officials of the state waste management and environmental protection agency, had opened the slabs to remove sewage and clear the drains, but failed to cover it back about three years ago”.
Meanwhile, youth of the area, angered by the incident, staged a peaceful protest today (Thursday), blaming government agents of neglect of duty which they alleged resulted in the sudden death of the petty trader.
According to the protesters, the incident would have been avoided if staff of the state waste management and protection agency had covered the open drains after disilting the gutters during last month’s general environmental exercise in the state.
Vehicles plying the road to Abak, Etinan and other adjoining parts of the state, had hectic time navigating through Ukana Offot, Nkemba and Clement Isong Street, to get to their destinations.
Comrade Effiong Asuquo, one of the protesters, who spoke to New Nigerian in Uyo, also blamed the Ministry of Environment and Solid Minerals for what he described as “lack of sincere commitment to environmental protection,” vowing that, “We will remain here untill the state government rescue the remains of the aged woman and adequate compensation given for proper burial”.
However, the Commissioner for Environment and Solid Mineral, Sir Charles Udoh, expressed deep sense of sadness over the incident and appealed for calm as frantic efforts were on to retrieve the corpse for burial.
“I am on the spot of the incident right now to find the dead body. So, I have ordered for equipment to come. We need to break the slaps and the gutters so we can pull it to find the dead body.
“After that, I will do a proposal to the Governor on how to prevent future occurrence”, he assured.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Odiko Macdon who confirmed the incident and the protest by youth said the Police Commissioner, CP Andrew Amiengheme has ordered some office to the area to help maintain peace.
An eye witness to the scene of the tragic incident, Theresa Sunday told our correspondent that the victim said to be a petty trader along Nkemba Street, was returning from the market where she went to buy her goods.
The torrential rainfall which left the entire stretch of Abak Road bye Nkemba Street axis of Uyo flooded for hours, causing many people including motorists to avoid the area within the period.
The woman whose name was not readily known as at when filing this report was trekking through the flood around 4.30pm when she was swept away and eventually drowned in an open drainage.
“We made efforts to rescue her when we noticed she was being swept away uncontrollably by the flood water.
“Before we got to her, the fast-moving water had already drawn her closer to an open hole linking the underground drainage facility”, Theresa added.
She recalled that “officials of the state waste management and environmental protection agency, had opened the slabs to remove sewage and clear the drains, but failed to cover it back about three years ago”.
Meanwhile, youth of the area, angered by the incident, staged a peaceful protest today (Thursday), blaming government agents of neglect of duty which they alleged resulted in the sudden death of the petty trader.
According to the protesters, the incident would have been avoided if staff of the state waste management and protection agency had covered the open drains after disilting the gutters during last month’s general environmental exercise in the state.
Vehicles plying the road to Abak, Etinan and other adjoining parts of the state, had hectic time navigating through Ukana Offot, Nkemba and Clement Isong Street, to get to their destinations.
Comrade Effiong Asuquo, one of the protesters, who spoke to New Nigerian in Uyo, also blamed the Ministry of Environment and Solid Minerals for what he described as “lack of sincere commitment to environmental protection,” vowing that, “We will remain here untill the state government rescue the remains of the aged woman and adequate compensation given for proper burial”.
However, the Commissioner for Environment and Solid Mineral, Sir Charles Udoh, expressed deep sense of sadness over the incident and appealed for calm as frantic efforts were on to retrieve the corpse for burial.
“I am on the spot of the incident right now to find the dead body. So, I have ordered for equipment to come. We need to break the slaps and the gutters so we can pull it to find the dead body.
“After that, I will do a proposal to the Governor on how to prevent future occurrence”, he assured.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Odiko Macdon who confirmed the incident and the protest by youth said the Police Commissioner, CP Andrew Amiengheme has ordered some office to the area to help maintain peace.
