The search and rescue efforts for an unidentified drainage worker trapped in an underground tunnel in the Onipanu area of Lagos State continued on Tuesday.
According to reports the incident occurred on Monday while the worker was clearing drains in the community.
Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA), stated in a release that the worker, employed by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority and working for Drain Ducks, became trapped while attempting to remove debris from the underground drainage system.
Despite ongoing efforts, as of Tuesday, the worker had not been located, despite spending over 24 hours in the tunnel.
An anonymous LASEMA staff member disclosed Online that the worker may have been swept away by water when he cleared the blockade. The interconnected nature of the drainage system spanning areas like Oshodi, Yaba, Shomolu, and Mushin could have contributed to this.
The official also recounted rescue attempts by a colleague who entered the tunnel, attached to a rope, in search of the trapped worker. Despite spending significant time in the tunnel, the operation was suspended due to darkness.
The LASEMA official further revealed that the drainage system was constructed by the Federal Government, with schematic diagrams held by the federal ministry. However, in the urgency of the situation, efforts focused on the immediate rescue or recovery of the worker rather than locating the schematic diagram.
