UNIZIK Pupil Swept Away by Anambra Flood Found Dead After School Bus Overturns

The body of six-year-old Success Ezenwafor, a pupil of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) Primary School, has been recovered after he was swept away by floodwaters in Awka, Anambra State.

Success was among pupils travelling to school on Tuesday morning when their shuttle bus became trapped and overturned in surging floodwaters along the Nibo–Isiagu Road in Awka South Local Government Area.

Rescue efforts involving Anambra State police operatives, security personnel and community members succeeded in bringing seven other pupils and two adults to safety. They were taken to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku, Awka, for medical treatment.

Success remained missing after the rescue operation and a search continued through Tuesday. His body was recovered on Wednesday morning by police and community members and subsequently deposited at the hospital morgue.

Chairman of Awka South Local Government Area, Prince Chinedu Okafor, who participated in the rescue efforts, confirmed the recovery. He said the other children rescued from the vehicle were in stable condition and receiving treatment at Amaku Teaching Hospital.

A family source described Success as a brave child and said he reportedly broke one of the vehicle’s windows, creating an escape route that helped some of the other occupants get out. He was, however, unable to reach safety himself.

Another family member, Dr Uche Nworah, recalled Success’ final moments before he left home for school. According to Nworah, the boy kissed his father on both cheeks and said goodbye before boarding the shuttle bus, unaware that it would be their final farewell.

The Ezenwafor family described the death as a painful loss and said arrangements were being made to move Success’ remains from Amaku to their hometown of Ula, Ekwulobia. Meanwhile, Anambra First Lady Dr Nonye Soludo urged residents to avoid flooded roads and waterways, keep children away from floodwaters and drainage channels, and take immediate precautions when heavy rainfall causes water levels to rise.