The whereabouts of a mother, her baby, and six other individuals, including a man known as Umar, remain unknown following a devastating flood caused by heavy rainfall in the Agege area of Lagos State.According to reports gathered by PUNCH Metro, the canal in the Abattoir area of Agege overflowed during the intense downpour on Thursday, submerging the bridge and rendering it impassable for motorists and residents.A tricycle operator narrowly escaped death when his vehicle was swept into the canal by the force of the floodwaters as he attempted to navigate the area.Wasiu, a local resident, recounted the harrowing events that unfolded, stating that as the tricycle operator faced imminent danger, a woman carrying her child lost control and fell into the rapidly moving floodwaters.As the flood carried away the mother and child, Wasiu explained that another resident, Umar, bravely leaped into the flood in an attempt to rescue them. Unfortunately, the strong current swept all three of them into the canal.”The owner of the tricycle is my friend. He is a mechanic who resides in Oko-Oba. He was traveling from Agege when he encountered the bridge, only to realize that floodwaters had already engulfed it. He waited, but suddenly lost control of the tricycle. The flood dragged him and the tricycle into the canal,” Wasiu stated.He added, “He was the only one in the tricycle, and he survived by swimming out of the canal. His clothes were torn, and people provided him with something to wear. He is currently recovering in the hospital. At the same time, a woman carrying her child on her back tried to maneuver through the flood but lost control, and they were both swept away. Umar jumped into the flood to save them, but all three of them have yet to be found.”During a visit to Umar’s residence, a neighbor informed PUNCH Metro that they became aware of the incident when they heard people raising the alarm as the floodwaters carried the victims away.”We lived in the same compound. His name is Umar. When we heard the noise, we quickly rushed out, but there was nothing anyone could do. We waited for the rain to subside. On the second day, we combed the entire area in the hope of finding their bodies. Even this morning, some residents searched, but we found nothing,” the neighbor shared.In another interview, Bamidele, another resident, disclosed that two tricycles were involved in the incident. While one tricycle operator managed to escape, the other tricycle operator and their passengers were swept away by the flood.”There were two tricycle operators involved. The operator who did not have any passengers managed to jump out and survive. The flood carried away the other tricycle operator, their tricycle, and the passengers. One tricycle was later recovered,” Bamidele explained.He expressed the difficulty in obtaining information about rescue efforts, stating that victims’ bodies are typically found in areas such as Aboru or Itele in Ayetoro, Ogun State. They only travel to those locations if they know the victims are involved.Confirming the incident, Johnson Babatunde, the Chairman of Orile Agege Local Council Development Area, expressed his concern over the actions of the tricycle operators.”I received the report. It happened at Abattoir beside Total Filling Station. Our people need enlightenment. How can you see a flood and decide to enter it? I don’t know what is happening to all these tricycle operators. There were five people in the tricycle. People were waiting there because of the flood,” Babatunde commented, questioning the decision of the tricycle operator to enter the flood while others waited.When asked about the recovery or rescue efforts, Babatunde replied, “We have not found them yet, and there is no update available.”PUNCH Metro visited the Abattoir Police Station, where the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Olatunji Oladimeji, reported leading his team to investigate the case. However, no eyewitnesses could confirm the incident, and no one had come forward to report any missing individuals.Nosa Okunbor, the Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, stated that the agency had not received any official reports regarding the incident.Kunle Adeshina, the Public Relations Officer of the state Ministry of Environment, revealed that an ongoing drainage expansion project was taking place in the area. Adeshina emphasized the need for people to recognize the power of water during heavy rains and to refrain from venturing into flood-prone areas until the rain subsides.He said, “When it rains, especially in flood-prone areas, we have always advised people not to underestimate the power of water. It is better to wait until the rain stops before continuing the journey. This has always been our campaign.”