It was a scene of tragedy on Sunday evening in Apete Community, Ibadan, Oyo State, as two teenagers, Abdullahi Sheriff, 15, and Adekitan Rasheed, 13, lost their lives after drowning in a river flowing through the Morubo-Apete area.
The victims, who were said to be relatives, lived in adjoining houses with their parents in Apete before the unfortunate incident. Residents disclosed that the boys had often visited the river to bathe and fish, despite repeated warnings from elders in the community who cautioned them about the dangers of swimming in a river with an unknown depth.
According to information gathered, the teenagers reportedly sneaked out of their homes on the fateful day without the knowledge of their families. On getting to the riverside, they removed their clothes, placed them on nearby plant branches and dived into the river to swim.
Concern arose when family members could not locate the boys at home later in the evening. A search led them to the riverside, where their clothes were discovered hanging on branches, raising fears that they might have drowned.
Efforts to rescue the teenagers that night reportedly proved unsuccessful. The matter was subsequently reported at the Apete Police Station on Monday.
A resident of the community, who spoke with Tribune Online on condition of anonymity, said police officers, led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), immediately mobilised to the scene alongside two experienced swimmers. The swimmers later recovered the bodies of the two teenagers from the river.
It was learnt that the families adopted different burial arrangements for the deceased. One of the boys was buried by the riverside in line with traditional customs, while the second victim was taken to a cemetery and buried according to Islamic rites.
The incident has thrown the Apete Community into mourning, as residents renewed calls for increased awareness and safety measures around rivers and other water bodies to prevent similar tragedies.