Girl, 10, dies in well

A 10-year-old girl, Eniola Sodipo, has drowned in a well on Atanda Street, Mafoluku, Oshodi area of Lagos State.The victim, who was holidaying with a family in the house, was said to be playing with other children in the neighbourhood, when the well cover caved in.

She was recovered dead by officials of the Lagos State Fire Service around 2pm on Monday.

The corpse was said to have been handed over to policemen from the Akinpelu Police Division.

A rescue official said the incident happened in the morning, adding that the landlady had chased the children away from the well but they returned.

He said, “The girl was on a holiday visit to a family in the house. She was playing around with her friends.

“The landlady said she always chased them away from the well and warned them not to play around the place. She said she had returned to her room in the morning, when the kids returned to the place and continued to play there. It was then that the wooden slab used to cover the well gave way, and she fell into it.”

Our correspondent was told that the other children raised the alarm, which attracted the attention of neighbours.

They were said to have struggled to rescue the victim from the well without any success.

The Director of the Lagos State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe, said the agency received a distress call at 2.48pm.

He said the Ikeja Fire Station was deployed to the scene.

He said, “But by the time we got there, the girl was dead. We discovered that the well was covered with wooden structure. She was playing on top when she fell inside.

“All tenants and landlords must ensure their well are well covered and should have a padlock when not in use, to prevent ugly incidents like this. Domestic wells should also not be parallel to the ground. Every well that is constructed with blocks, should be changed to rings.”

He said the agency would start combing every nook and cranny of the state to check the wells of residents.

Punch