A 12-year-old boy, Nathan Spencer, has lost his life after being swept away by floodwaters while on his way to sit the Middle Basic Assessment Examination in Benin City, Edo State.

The incident occurred on Saturday along the Uselu-Ugbowo road during a downpour that left several parts of the city flooded.

Spencer, a pupil of Future Leaders Academy in Benin City, was reportedly heading to Liberty Secondary School in Uselu, Benin City, his designated examination centre for the First School Leaving Certificate Examination.

Eyewitnesses said the floodwaters submerged parts of the road, creating hazardous conditions for commuters and pedestrians.

A viral video circulating online after the flooding showed a man carrying the lifeless body of the pupil on his shoulders, with bystanders urging him to rush the boy to the nearest hospital.

Several onlookers could also be heard criticising the boy’s parents for allowing him to make the trip to the examination centre unaccompanied.

This incident sparked renewed concerns about the state’s flood preparedness and the safety of schoolchildren, especially during the rainy season.

Meanwhile, the Edo State government said it had withdrawn operating licences of two schools over the incident.

The state Commissioner of Education, Paddy Iyamu, disclosed this on Tuesday when he paid a condolence visit to the parents of the deceased.

Mr Iyamu asserted that the headteacher of one of the two schools had also been arrested in connection with the unfortunate incident.

The commissioner expressed the government’s displeasure over the incident, saying Governor Monday Okpebholo was deeply touched by the death and directed an immediate visit.

He said, “The state government will ensure that those responsible for the pupil’s death are held accountable. The principal is in police detention.’’.

Mr Iyamu, however, advised parents and guardians to monitor their kids and wards closely and not leave them in the hands of hustlers in the disguise of school owners. 

(NAN)