Edo CP Chris Ezike

Jethro Ibileke/Benin

Tragedy struck on Wednesday in Benin, Edo state when a 15-year old boy simply identified as Ikponmwosa, reportedly drowned while on a fishing expedition with his friends.‎

Ikpomwosa was said to have drowned while attempting to pick up a cat fish from a swamp located in Iyoba Street, Uselu axis of the City.

It was gathered that the teenager returned home from school after students were asked to go back home, following the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) strike, in response to the increase in pump price of petrol by the Federal government.

Following the tragic incident, friends of the decease who accompanied him on the voyage were said to have fled to alert his parents.

Narrating what transpired to journalists, mother of the deceased, Mrs. Maureen Igiebor, said Ikponmwosa was already prepared for school, but was told that they should go home. She said her son was already dead before a good Samaritan came for his rescue.

“So, he ran home and removed his school uniform. Consequently, a little boy came telling me that my son, Ikponmwosa, whom they went together to hunt for Cat fish got drowned.

“The boy told me that he got drowned while hunting for cat fish at the swamp,” she said. ‎

Also speaking on the incident, a sister of the the victim, simply identified as Omosigho, who wept profusely, said: “One little boy just came and said my brother got drowned at Iyoba swamp that he is dead.

“The government should come and do something about this swamp because there are other helpless children out there. My only brother that I have is dead.”

Mr. Sunday Igbinidu, a sympathiser, said: “This water has been here for a long time. So, we do not want this kind of thing to happen next time. The state government should inform the Federal government to come and remove this water from here.

“About three years ago, somebody died in this flood. Another incident happened early this year before the latest tragedy.”

The remains of the deceased has been reportedly taken to their family home for burial.

Edo State Police Command Spokesman, DSP Abiodun Osifo, could neither confirm nor deny the incident, as he said he was on a journey and had not been briefed.

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