Good Samaritan Swept Away by Flood While Rescuing Teenage Girl
- A man was swept away by floodwater in Aba, Abia State, after he slipped into a gutter while trying to rescue a trapped teenage girl
- The incident happened on Sunday evening at Ukwu Mango, Faulks Road, during a heavy downpour, and both victims went missing
- The Abia State Fire Service, police, and residents launched a search operation on Monday as families awaited news of the missing pair
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Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Aba, Abia State - A man who jumped in to save a teenage girl trapped in a flooded gutter ended up being swept away alongside her by the force of the rushing water in Aba, Abia State.
The incident happened at Ukwu Mango on Faulks Road during a heavy downpour. on Sunday evening, October 26, 2026.
The man, whose identity had not been officially confirmed at the time of this report, slipped into the gutter as he reached out to pull the girl to safety.
The surging floodwater then carried both of them away before bystanders could intervene.
As reported by Vanguard, residents in the area quickly organised a search, scouring nearby drainage channels in the hope of finding the pair alive.
Their efforts turned up nothing, and fears began to grow that the floodwater may have carried the two victims as far as the Aba River.
Search Operation Intensifies on Monday
By Monday, the search had expanded significantly. The Abia State Fire Service arrived at Ukwu Mango alongside other government officials to join residents in combing the drainage network.
Police personnel also came to the scene to manage the crowd and keep order while the rescue teams worked.
As of the time this report was filed, neither victim had been found. Families of both the man and the teenage girl were left waiting for any word on their fate.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Maureen Chinaka, said the tragedy happened near an ongoing construction site where an uncovered ditch had filled with rainwater.
Chinaka said the teenage girl was passing through the area when she reportedly hit a stone and fell into the ditch.
“Unfortunately, we have not been able to see them. The police are aware, and the matter has been reported. Efforts are in place to see how they can be rescued,” Chinaka said.
Aba's Flooding Problem
Aba's geography makes the commercial city particularly vulnerable to floods.
The city sits on flat terrain, which means water from heavy rain collects quickly and moves with considerable force through its drainage channels, posing a serious danger to anyone caught near an open gutter during a downpour.
The tragedy has left residents and sympathisers in the community in shock, as the man's act of courage ended in a loss that the search teams were still working to account for.
Tragedy as 2 brothers swept away
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that Muhammad Salisu, 12, and Abdurrahman Salisu, 7, were swept away by a flood in Janbago community, Katsina State.
The boys were on their way home from an Islamiyya school when a heavy downpour turned the streets into dangerous floods.
Community leaders say Janbago has battled recurring floods for over a decade due to poor drainage infrastructure.
Source: Legit.ng
