The family and colleagues of a 27‑year‑old motor boy are mourning after he drowned while trying to retrieve a bucket that had fallen into a well in Alaja community, Akinyele Local Government Area, Oyo State. According to Metro, a truck driver and the motor boy were traveling within the state when the truck developed a mechanical fault near the Powerline/Moniya end of the new Ibadan‑Oyo Expressway. After parking the truck, the driver began inspecting it to locate the problem, and the motor boy set out to find water for the radiator.
Our correspondent, who visited the community on Sunday, learned that the motor boy went to a mechanic shop in Alaja where he found a well. An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the motor boy approached the well and looked for a fetcher to draw water but could find none. He then tied a rope to a bucket and threw it into the well. While attempting to pull the bucket up, the rope snapped and the bucket fell inside. Determined to retrieve it, the motor boy entered the well and drowned.
The resident recounted, “I saw the young man yesterday (Saturday) when the driver parked the truck. The truck had a minor fault, so as a motor boy he had to look for water for the radiator. He searched for a drawer and didn’t see one; he then tied a rope to a bucket. Unfortunately, the rope broke and the bucket fell into the well, and he drowned when he entered the well to remove it.” The motor boy’s disappearance was noticed when the truck driver found his slippers near the well and raised the alarm. Emergency rescue teams, including fire service officials and police officers, arrived later to retrieve the body. “Nobody knew until a few minutes later when his boss was looking for him. He saw the slippers beside the well and raised the alarm. At that time, nobody was courageous enough to enter there to pick up the corpse until the arrival of the officials of the fire service with the assistance of police officers,” the eyewitness said.
The victim’s identity has not been released. It is known that he was employed by the driver’s friend, and the driver has informed the family through that friend. The well has since been sealed; an iron sheet and a stone now cover it to prevent further access. When contacted by telephone, State Commissioner of Police Adebowale Williams confirmed the drowning, stating simply, “We had a case of drowning yesterday in the area.” The General Manager of the State Fire Service, Yemi Akinyinka, also confirmed the incident but declined further comment.
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