A tragic incident unfolded on Friday as 16-year-old Dimeji, an apprentice barber, was swept away by floodwaters in a gully erosion near St Anthony Secondary School, Igbeba, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

Reports indicate that Dimeji accidentally stepped into the canal, believing there was a pedestrian plank across the gully, only to be swept away by the powerful currents.

A circulating video captured the retrieval of his lifeless body from the gully. The accompanying message clarified that Dimeji was not a student but rather an apprentice barber in the Awokoya area of Ijebu-Ode.

The message conveyed condolences, stating, “With a heavy heart, we share the sorrowful news of a young life lost to the devastating erosion in Ijebu Ode this evening. The victim, an apprentice barber at Awokoya, has been confirmed to be a non-student. Our thoughts are with his loved ones, including his mother, who sells ‘fufu’ at the same location. May his soul rest in peace, and may his family find comfort in this difficult time.”

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source confirmed the incident, saying, “Yes, what you saw in the video is true. Dimeji accidentally slipped into the canal. He had escorted a friend to a motorcycle, and while his friend left, he mistakenly stepped into the water, thinking it was a plank, and was swept away.”

Efforts to obtain a comment from SP Omolola Odutola, spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, were unsuccessful as calls and messages to her phone went unanswered at the time of filing this report.

Watch the video below to see how his dead body was retrieved from the gully.