A 14-year-old boy, Sefiu Sikiru, was on Monday reported to have drowned in Osun River in Osogbo during a fishing expedition.
An eyewitness told the News Agency of Nigeria that the victim and two of his friends went on the fishing expedition on Sunday.
The eyewitness said the boy was trying to catch a “big fish” by trailing it to the middle of the river when the incident occurred.
According to the eyewitness, not knowing that the middle of the river is deep, the boy continued moving until he slipped and drowned.
The eyewitness, who did not want his name mentioned, said Sikiru cried aloud as he was drowning, adding that the friends abandoned him and fled.
Saheed Buhari, who resides behind the Old Governor’s Office in the area, said he heard the distress cry of the drowning boy.
Buhari said: “I quickly left the mosque where I was praying to go and see what was happening and where the cry was coming from.
“I immediately raised an alarm when I realised there was nothing I could do to help him but I could see him sinking.”
Buhari said he rushed to Ataoja Police Station to report the incident and the men of the state fire service were also informed.
He said the joint effort of the police and the fire service could not help because of the heavy downpour, which also hampered rescue effort.
Efforts to speak with Folashade Odoro, the Public Relations Officer of the state police command, proved abortive as she could not be contacted as at the time of filing this report.
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