Tragedy in Lagos: Motorcyclist Drowns in Alakuko Flood
A 60-year-old motorcyclist, Wasiu Babatunde Adeniran, has died after being swept away by severe floodwaters during a torrential downpour in the Alakuko area of Lagos State.
The incident occurred around 4:00 PM on May 20, 2025, along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
Heavy Rainfall Turns Deadly
Eyewitnesses at the scene reported that Adeniran lost control of his motorcycle due to the overwhelming force of the rain. The raging floodwaters dragged both him and his motorcycle away.
“He fell into the water and was swept away. The current was too strong for anyone to help,” a bystander told reporters.
Search and Discovery
Motorcycle Recovered Same Day
At approximately 6:00 PM on the same day, Adeniran’s motorcycle was found, but the search for his body continued overnight.
Body Found in Ogun State
By the morning of May 21, his body was discovered several kilometres away in Obasanjo River, Ota, Ogun State.
Confirming the incident, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, issued a statement:
“On 21/05/25 at about 1230hrs, a report was received that, on 20/05/25 at about 1600hrs, one Wasiu Babatunde Adeniran ‘m’ aged 60yrs, a motorcycle rider, fell off his motorcycle while riding along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway in Alakuko during heavy rainfall.
“The flood dragged him and the motorcycle away. While the motorcycle was recovered at about 1800hrs of 20/05/25, the body was later found at Obasanjo River, Ota, Ogun State, at about 0900hrs of 21/05/25.”
Police Respond to the Tragedy
Autopsy and Ongoing Investigation
A police team visited the scene and took photographs of the deceased. The body has since been deposited at a public morgue for autopsy, and the authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.
“Investigation is in progress,” the statement concluded.
A Growing Concern Over Lagos Floods
The incident once again highlights the dangers of inadequate drainage infrastructure and the devastating impact of sudden, intense rainfall in Nigeria’s urban centres particularly in high-risk flood zones like Alakuko.
