Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State was at the weekend hit by a disaster as two secondary school pupils of Ado Grammar School, along Ado – Ijan Road, were swept away by Ureje river.
A source said that the deceased died at a deeper portion of the river, which stretches from Ajilosun and flowed down to Odo Ado area of the capital city.
About seven pupils had reportedly scaled the fence when academic works were ongoing, to swim in the river, where two of them drowned.
He said: “The academic works were ongoing when they left school. They went to the deeper side of Ureje river to swim and two of them were trapped in the mud and died.
“One of the survivors said four of them jumped into the river before sensing that the two victims were no longer swimming in the water.
“Those on the river cliff had to run to a farmer working around the river. It was the man who called on some swimmers farming in the area to come and rescue the two that were still afloat before bringing out those that were already dead”.
The source added that the farmers later ran into the school compound at about noon to report the incident to the teachers. The development was said to have evoked cries and wailing among the staff and students.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, DSP Caleb Ikechukwu, said the corpses of the dead pupils had been deposited in the morgue.
“We learnt the students went to the river to swim and got drowned. Their bodies had been taken to the mortuary,’ ‘he said.
Ikechukwu said other pupils who were part of the swimming expedition would help the police in conducting a thorough investigation into the pathetic incident.
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