March 10, (THEWILL) – Angry youths of Iboko Offot, Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom on Thursday morning, besieged Nkemba Street and it’s environs, the portion of Abak Road, where a 60-year-old woman was swallowed by flood during Wednesday’s first torrential rains of the year.
According to eyewitnesses, the woman was a petty trader along Nkemba street, close to the scene of the incident.
Anietie Sam, a local resident of the street, told THEWILL that the incident happened at about 4:30pm on Wednesday, saying that the woman was returning from the market, where she went to buy her wares, when she was swept away by heavy flood and eventually drowned in an open drainage.
“We made efforts to rescue her when we noticed she was being swept away uncontrollably by the flood, but before we got to her, the fast-moving water had already drawn her closer to an open hole linking the underground drainage facility”, Anietie narrated.
He recalled that, “Officials of the state waste management and environmental protection agency, had opened the slabs to remove sewage and cleared the drains, but failed to cover it back about three years.”
Vehicles plying the road to Abak, Etinan and other adjoining parts of the state, had hectic time navigating through Ukana Offot, Nkemba and Clement Isong streets, to get out of the state capital.
Comrade Effiong Asuquo, one of the protesters, blamed the Ministry of Environment and Solid Minerals, for what he described as “lack of sincere commitment to environmental protection”, vowing that “we will remain here until the state government rescue the remains of the aged woman and adequate compensation paid for proper burial.”
However, the Commissioner for Environment and Solid Mineral, Sir Charles Udoh, expressed deep sense of sadness over the incident and appealed for calm as frantic efforts were on to retrieve the corpse for burial.
“I am on the spot of the incident right now to find the dead body. So, I have ordered for equipment to come. We need to break the slabs and the gutters so we can pull it to find the dead body.
“After that, I will make a proposal to the governor on how to prevent future occurrences”, he assured.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Odiko Macdon, who confirmed the incident said police personnel from Akwa Ibom State Command have been deployed to restore peace in the area.
He said the incident is just an accident and urged the protesters to keep calm and not bring more harm to unsuspecting persons going about their lawful engagements.
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