NINE persons, including seven school children and two adults, have been rescued after they were caught in a flood along the Nibo–Isiagu Road in Awka, Anambra State.
The victims were rescued by operatives of the Anambra State Police Command’s Safe School Initiative, working in collaboration with concerned members of the community.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, 22 September 2026, when the victims were travelling along the affected route amid flooding caused by heavy rainfall.
In a statement, the Command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the rescue operation followed a distress call received by the command. Operatives of the Safe School Initiative promptly mobilised to the area and, working with local residents, successfully rescued the seven children and two adults and moved them to safety.
However, he regretted that one of the affected children remained unaccounted for as of the time of filing the report.
The Police Command has since commenced a sustained search and rescue operation for the missing child, in collaboration with community members and other relevant stakeholders.
The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, has directed that the search operation be sustained and expanded until the missing child is found.
He also appealed to residents, particularly those living or operating around the affected route, to provide the police and other responding agencies with any information that could assist in locating the child.
The Command urged parents, guardians, school authorities and motorists to exercise extreme caution when approaching flooded roads, bridges and waterways, especially during periods of heavy rainfall.
It specifically warned parents and guardians against allowing children to attempt crossing flooded roads or waterways, noting the dangers associated with such situations.
The Police Command reaffirmed its commitment to protecting school children and strengthening collaboration with communities and relevant stakeholders under the Safe School Initiative to mitigate emergencies and prevent avoidable loss of lives.
