By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
A three-year-old boy, Chibuike Uba, has died after falling into an uncovered soakaway in the Babarinsa area of Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State.
The tragic incident occurred on Wednesday while Chibuike’s mother, Utoro, was visiting her aunt. She had traveled from Epe and was preparing to leave when her son, who had been playing inside, followed his aunt outside while she made a phone call.
When the aunt returned, she assumed Chibuike had gone back inside the house. However, upon realizing he was missing, a search was launched.
During the search, Utoro found her son’s slippers near an open soakaway in a neighboring compound. The soakaway was not fenced off, leaving it accessible and dangerous. Alarmed, she immediately called for help, and efforts were made to retrieve Chibuike.
In an emotional account of the ordeal, Utoro explained:
“I was packing my things when my aunt stepped outside to take a call, and my son followed her. I thought he was still with her. When she returned and I asked where he was, she assumed he had gone back inside. I rushed out to look for him but couldn’t find him.”
“Then I spotted his slippers near the soakaway. There’s no fence around it, so I screamed that he had fallen in. We quickly tried to pull him out and rushed him to the hospital.”
Chibuike was first taken to a private hospital in Sapati before being transferred to the General Hospital in Akodo. Despite medical efforts and oxygen support, he was confirmed dead.
Utoro held negligence accountable for the tragedy, claiming her aunt had repeatedly raised concerns with the landlord about the dangers of the open soakaway, but no action had been taken. She said the landlord had promised to close it but never followed through.
“My aunt warned the landlord multiple times, but nothing was done. Even the plank she used to cover the soakaway was swept away by floodwaters. Now, it’s still open,” she said.
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