Amidu Arije
There was pandemonium in Salako Street, Mafoluku Oshodi Lagos State on Tuesday night when a landlord popularly called Baba Joker died after he fell into the well while trying to fix a faulty pumping machine pipes and wires connected to it.
It was reported that he was a plumber who usually fixed faulty plumping machines and does plumping works on the machine that supply water into the house whenever it is faulty and that he was used to sitting by the well side when he needed to rest.
According his neighbours, Baba Joker was a strong member of the Odua People’s Congress (OPC) in the area and had always maintain the peace in the community.
An eye witness, Bola Ayinla, said when the landlord fell into the well, neighbours and tenants rushed quickly to call local rescuer, the Mallams and they came to the rescue but the mallam who entered into the well was also trapped.
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“As first witness, I was inside suddenly I heard sound followed by noise of help! Help!! I quickly rushed there only to find out that the landlord fell in the wall while trying to fix a faulty pumping machine inserted into the well for water supply. We rushed to call the local Mallams that dig wells to rescue the man from the well, one of them came down and went into the well but he too couldn’t make it up again as he felt the heat and fell back into the well around 7:30pm,” he said.
“When we saw that it was no longer possible for them to come up again, I called the fire service myself to come to their rescue and they responded almost immediately. By the time they got here, the responses we got was that there was no hope and that the rescuer team wasn’t with them, I thought probably they didn’t hear the message passed to them properly that is why. But they swung into action and were able to rescue the Mallam alive while after several efforts, they brought the landlord out but he was dead by that time because he had been in the well since around 4pm,” he stated.
When The Nigerian Xpress approached men of the Lagos State Fire Service for official statement on the incident one of them who was said to be the most senior officer in the team declined comment and said he was not permitted to speak.
Also the men of the Lagos State Emergency Agency (LASEMA), who were on ground to provide medical services to the victims declined to speak with our correspondent saying they are not allowed to comment on it.
The Nigeria Police Force, Makinde Police station, were also on ground to maintain peace and orderliness while the rescue operation last. They also declined comment on the incident.
