A 25-year-old man has tragically lost his life after falling into a soakaway in the Kinnira area, opposite Zion Christian Academy School, in Ogbomoso North Local Council of Oyo State. The incident occurred on Friday night, and the victim's body was recovered by operatives of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency.
The agency received a distress call from a resident, John Onigbinde, at about 7:41 p.m., reporting that a man had fallen into a soakaway in the area. In response, fire service personnel led by Chief Fire Superintendent Dairo were immediately dispatched to the scene for a rescue operation.
Upon arrival, the rescue team applied all necessary rescue knots and operational procedures, but the victim was found unconscious. He was later confirmed dead. The body was handed over to officers of the Nigeria Police Force, Owode Division, Ogbomoso.
Preliminary Findings
Preliminary investigations by the agency indicate that the deceased had attempted to inspect storage tanks located near the soakaway to determine the water level. While crossing the area, he accidentally lost his balance and fell into the soakaway.
The Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Fire Reform and Chairman of the agency, Moroof Akinwande, expressed regret over the incident. He urged residents to be more safety-conscious around uncovered soakaways, wells, and other hazardous openings. According to him, such structures pose serious risks to human life when left unsecured and should be properly covered to prevent avoidable tragedies.
Authorities have stated that further investigation into the incident will continue. The identity of the deceased had not been disclosed as of press time.
