Tragedy struck on New Year’s Eve as two children of the same parents drowned in the Asa River in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
The Kwara State Fire Service confirmed the incident in a statement signed by its spokesman, Hassan Adekunle.
Adekunle revealed that the bodies of the two boys – 12-year-old Damilare and 14-year-old Kamaldeen – were evacuated on Friday evening around ‘Laola Salasi Street in the Mubo area of Ilorin.
“This horrible incident happened this (Friday) evening at about 16:36hrs (04:36 pm) when one Alhaji Eleja suddenly summoned the Brigade to the scene of occurrence,” he said.
“However, it was so unfortunate that the two victims (Kamaldeen and Damilare) were recovered dead from the river by the firemen.
“The victims from Ile-laru compound, Sabo-line area Ilorin with their colleagues went swimming at Asa-River before they were eventually drowned in the river and we handed over their bodies to their biological father, Alhaji Jamiu before leaving the scene of incidence.
“The Director, Kwara State Fire Service, Prince Falade Olumuyiwa, urged citizens particularly parents and teachers to keep monitoring their children’s movement, especially during this holiday period in order to avoid such terrible subsequent occurrences.”
Sources said that the boys, in the company of their playmates, had left for the riverside to have fun as was their usual practice before the tragedy.
