Six-Year-Old Dies in Lagos Flood as Grieving Father Calls for Action to Safeguard Children
Six-year-old Asabi Oloyede’s death in a devastating flood in Lagos has brought back into focus concerns about the safety of children living in flood-prone communities and a call for greater disaster risk measures to keep children safe.
On June 28, Ms. Asabi’s family home in the Okeleye, Charity area of Oshodi was inundated by flood waters, leading to the death of Asabi. Her father Ademola Oloyede said the flood had rushed into their compound after a nearby church fence had collapsed and people were trapped until they were able to get out. Several people were rescued by neighbours but the young girl could not be saved.
In addition to the devastating loss of their child, the family was also without a home due to the flood. Oloyede said he now relies on his friends for accommodation and seeks help to rebuild his life.
The tragedy highlights the specific vulnerability of children to flooding, which is a situation in which children are often the least able to leave quickly rising waters. It also highlights wider child protection issues of unsafe housing, poor drainage and lack of emergency preparedness in a sensitive community.
To prevent more such events, government, emergency and community agencies must work together to increase flood mitigation efforts, enhance early warning systems and ensure children and caregivers are able to safely evacuate before disasters occur, child protection advocates say.
