Tragedy struck in Ekpoma, Edo State, on Tuesday evening when a commercial motorcyclist, popularly known as an Okada rider, was swept away by raging floodwaters at Uwenlenbo Road.
The incident, captured in a viral video, showed the rider struggling against the torrent while carrying a female passenger before being overpowered and dragged away by the flood. Eyewitnesses could be heard calling for help, but their efforts proved futile as the waters surged uncontrollably.
Sympathisers later displayed the victim’s motorcycle plate number in the hope of identifying him, urging relatives or acquaintances to come forward. The female passenger reportedly managed to escape, though details remain sketchy at press time.
Residents blamed the disaster on the absence of proper drainage systems in the area, a problem they say has made Ekpoma increasingly vulnerable to flooding during heavy rainfall.
The heartbreaking scene has renewed calls for urgent intervention by both state and federal authorities to address the menace of flood disasters across Edo State, which continue to claim lives and destroy property.