One person has been reported dead and two others missing after a bridge collapsed at Oko-erin, Ilorin, Kwara State.
The bridge collapsed after a heavy downfall on Saturday night.
According to an eyewitness, the car carrying three passengers was on the bridge when it collapsed.
He said the driver and passengers dived into the canal and died before they could be rescued.
“The bridge collapsed around 10pm on Saturday night because of heavy downfall. The driver was on the bridge when it tore apart and they fell into the canal.
“One person has been dead, while two other missing because they could not get help as people don’t have means of rescuing them, we had to standby and expect the emergency team to come,” he said.
The emergency response team has gone to the scene making efforts to retrieve the car and bodies.
Reacting, the State Government attributed the collapse of the bridge to illegal construction on setbacks and waterways.
Media aide to Governor AbdulRaman AbdulRazaq, who was also at the scene, Rafiu Ajakaye, said drastic measures would soon be taken to curtail indiscriminate dumping of refuse of canals and drainages.
He promised that government would urgently effect the repair of the collapsed setback of the bridge.
Ajakaye equally warned residents of the state to desist from constructing on the waterways.
“As you can see the commissioner of works had visited the affected bridge. Proper assessment would be done and decision would be taken. The collapse of the setback not the bridge in itself, was caused by people’s encroachment. Governemnt will take necessary steps that this does not happen again,” he added.
Also, the government via its Twitter handle, said efforts are being made to find two missing persons. The state government says so far, one person has been confirmed dead in the incident.
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