The community of Ore, headquarters of Odigbo Local Government Area in Ondo State, was thrown into mourning on Monday following the heartbreaking death of two young siblings who drowned in a popular local river, Omileye, after a downpour.
The brothers, both pupils of a private nursery and primary school in the area, had gone to visit their father, a motorcycle mechanic, at his roadside workshop. Sources say the rain began while the boys were still with their father.
Determined to return home, the children attempted to cross the Omileye River, unaware of the danger that lay ahead.
Tragically, they were swept away by the raging current.
When the children did not return home after several hours, their father raised an alarm. A search party made up of local residents was quickly mobilized.
The panic grew as fears mounted that the boys might have been carried away by the floodwaters.
According to eyewitnesses, it was local swimmers and concerned residents who eventually discovered the lifeless bodies of the siblings. Their remains were found several metres apart, wedged between debris along the riverbank.
A source at the Ore Divisional Police Station confirmed the incident, adding that a formal investigation would be opened.
However, at the time of filing this report, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Ondo State Police Command, Mr. Adeyinka Alayande, stated that the tragedy had not yet been formally reported at any police station in the area.
He assured the public that detectives would be assigned to investigate the matter thoroughly.
