A tragic incident occurred in the Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos State, Nigeria, where a 3-year-old boy, Chibuike Uba, lost his life after falling into an open soakaway. The incident happened on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, when Chibuike’s mother, Utoro, visited her aunt in the community with her son. While Utoro was occupied packing her belongings to leave, Chibuike wandered off to meet his aunt who had stepped out momentarily.
When the aunt returned inside, she was asked about Chibuike’s whereabouts, and a frantic search ensued after realizing he was nowhere to be found. The situation took a tragic turn when Chibuike’s slippers were spotted near the open soakaway in a neighboring compound, raising alarms that the child might have fallen into it.
Efforts were quickly made to pull Chibuike out of the soakaway, and he was rushed to a nearby hospital in the Sapati area of the community. Due to the severity of his condition, he was later referred to the General Hospital at Akodo, where he was placed on oxygen in a bid to save his life.
Despite these efforts, doctors at the hospital confirmed Chibuike’s d3ath. The news left his mother, Utoro, inconsolable. In a voice note, Utoro recounted the events leading to the tragic incident, expressing her anguish and blame towards the landlord of the property where the soakaway is located.
Utoro alleged that her aunt had repeatedly warned the landlord about the dangers posed by the open soakaway, but he failed to take appropriate action. According to her, even a plank that was used to cover the soakaway had been damaged by floodwaters, leaving it exposed.
The bereaved mother believes that if the soakaway had been properly covered or closed, this tragedy could have been avoided. She lamented that as she spoke, the soakaway remained open, posing a continued risk to others in the community.
This incident has raised serious concerns about safety measures in residential areas and the responsibility of landlords to ensure their properties do not pose hazards to tenants and visitors. The lack of proper fencing around the soakaway and its exposed state were critical factors in the tragic event.
