Anambra flood tragedy has claimed the life of six-year-old Success Ezenwafor, a pupil of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) Primary School in Awka, after floodwaters swept through a school shuttle carrying him and other occupants during heavy rainfall.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, September 22, along the Nibo–Isiagu Road in Awka South Local Government Area, where the shuttle became trapped as rapidly rising floodwaters overwhelmed the vehicle. Nine other occupants, including seven schoolchildren and two adults, were rescued and taken to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku, Awka, for medical attention.
Success, however, remained missing after the rescue operation, prompting security personnel, emergency responders and members of the surrounding community to begin a search for the young pupil.
Anambra Flood Sweeps Away School Shuttle
According to reports, the school shuttle was travelling with pupils when floodwaters overtook the vehicle along the affected road during the heavy downpour, leaving the occupants in danger as water levels rose around the vehicle. The Anambra State Police Command said its Safe School Operatives worked with residents to rescue seven pupils and two adults from the incident.
The search for Success continued after the other occupants reached safety, with responders and community members looking for the missing child. His body was eventually recovered on Wednesday morning, bringing an end to the search.
Prince Chinedu Okafor, Chairman of Awka South Local Government Area, confirmed the recovery and said the other children involved in the incident were in stable condition and receiving treatment at Amaku Teaching Hospital. The boy’s remains were subsequently deposited at a morgue.
A family member also gave an account of Success’s actions during the incident, saying the six-year-old reportedly broke one of the shuttle’s windows and created an escape route that enabled some of the other children to get out of the vehicle.
The account described the young pupil as having helped other children escape before floodwaters carried him away, although he could not reach safety himself. Two other children from the Ezenwafor family were reportedly among those rescued and taken to the hospital for treatment.
Family Mourns Six-Year-Old Success
The death has left the Ezenwafor family mourning the loss of the young pupil, whose final moments before leaving home for school have also emerged following the tragedy.
According to a family account reported by officials and local media, Success kissed his father on both cheeks and said goodbye before boarding the school shuttle on Tuesday morning. He left home for what appeared to be an ordinary school day but never returned.
The family has since expressed grief over the loss, while relatives and members of the wider community have continued to sympathise with them following the recovery of the child’s body.
The Anambra flood incident has also renewed concerns about the dangers that rising water levels can create for motorists, pedestrians and schoolchildren during periods of intense rainfall. The incident occurred amid heavy rainfall that caused flooding in parts of Awka and affected movement along some roads.
Anambra State First Lady, Nonye Soludo, subsequently urged residents to remain vigilant during flooding and avoid crossing flooded roads and waterways. She also appealed to parents and guardians to keep children away from floodwaters, drainage channels and other potentially dangerous areas when heavy rainfall causes water levels to rise.
The authorities have also encouraged residents to respond quickly to flood warnings, move to safer locations when necessary and report emergencies requiring urgent assistance.
For the Ezenwafor family, however, the Anambra flood tragedy has resulted in an irreversible loss, while the survival of the other occupants offers some relief amid the grief surrounding the death of the young UNIZIK Primary School pupil.
