A sense of shock and disbelief gripped the residents of Oju Township in Benue State as tragedy struck, claiming the lives of a father, his son, and a Hausa trader in a harrowing well accident.
The incident, shrouded in mystery, unfolded amidst frantic efforts to recover a fallen water container, plunging the community into mourning.
According to reports gathered by DAILY POST, the sequence of events began when Mr. Matthew Iji, popularly known as Matthew Ekpengbe, a well-known car washer in the area, dispatched his teenage son to fetch water from a nearby well.
However, tragedy struck when the fetcher slipped from the boy’s grasp, plummeting into the depths of the well.
Eyewitnesses recounted the heart-wrenching scene as the young boy, believed to be around 15-16 years old, bravely ventured into the well in a desperate attempt to retrieve the lost item, only to meet his demise in the murky depths.
Upon witnessing the unfolding tragedy, Mr. Iji, driven by paternal instinct, rushed to the well in a courageous bid to save his son. However, fate dealt a cruel hand as he too succumbed to the treacherous depths before he could reach his child.
In a tragic turn of events, a Hausa trader, drawn by the commotion, attempted to assist in the recovery efforts. However, his noble intentions were met with a grim fate as he too perished in the perilous waters of the well.
The lifeless bodies of the victims were swiftly transported to Holy Cross Hospital in Oju, where the Chief Medical Director, Joseph Ona, made valiant efforts to revive them. Despite his tireless endeavors, all attempts to resuscitate the victims proved futile, confirming their tragic demise.
Amidst the grief-stricken community, speculations abound regarding the circumstances surrounding the fatal accident. Some residents, attributing the tragedy to diabolical forces, voiced suspicions of foul play, while others pointed to possible contamination of the well from nearby oil spillage, given its proximity to a filling station.
Eyewitnesses noted the absence of typical signs of drowning on the victims’ bodies, further fueling speculations surrounding the mysterious incident.
As the community reels from the devastating loss, the three deceased individuals have been laid to rest in accordance with tradition, marking the end of a tragic chapter in Oju’s history.
Efforts to obtain official confirmation from the Benue State Police Command proved futile at the time of reporting, leaving many unanswered questions lingering in the wake of the heartbreaking tragedy.
