A yet-to-be-identified commercial motorcyclist was met with a tragic fate on Tuesday when heavy rain swept through Chikakore Community, situated in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council, Federal Capital Territory.
Paying no heed to the numerous appeals made by residents and onlookers, the motorcyclist attempted to cross a culvert, serving as an improvised bridge that connects one part of the community to another.
The fast-moving body of water proved too much to handle as he fought to keep his motorcycle from being swept away.
A sombre video clip of the incident, captured on a mobile phone by a resident, made its way around the community WhatsApp group. The sad incident evoked emotions among its members.
Within the two-minute video, a young onlooker’s voice echoed through, urging the authorities to ‘fix the road’ to ensure that such distressing incidents do not recur.
During the twilight of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, the Ministry of Environment’s revised 2023 budget included N2.5bn allocated for new flood control projects, and the road in question was among the designated areas for improvement.
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As part of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration’s revised 2023 budget for the Ministry of Environment, N2.5bn was allocated to new flood control projects, and the road involved in the incident was one of the earmarked areas for improvement.
The project, which received an allocation of N30,000,000 (Thirty million Naira), has seen little to no significant improvement.
The project contractor made an initial appearance on the site but eventually chose to abandon the project, leaving it in a state of neglect.
According to the official document detailing the scope of work, the funds were allocated for ‘the construction of drains and road improvement work at Chikakore, Kubwa, FCT.’
At the time of filing this report, the fate of the commercial motorcyclist remained uncertain and unconfirmed.
Responding to the urgent situation, some of the commercial motorcyclist’s peers have organized a search operation with the aim of rescuing him.