River Tragedy: Body of Ikoyi Golf Club Manager Recovered

By Chiemelie Ezeobi

Hours after a Toyota Hilux van plunged into the Majidun River in Ikorodu, Lagos State, killing four persons believed to be inside it, including the manager of the elite Ikoyi Golf Club, Lagos, Mr. Kolawole Ahmed, in the wee hours of Saturday, the rescue team yesterday recovered Ahmed's body.

The rescue team comprised personnel of the Nigerian Navy (NN), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and the state police command who were assisted by local divers.

The four persons were in a Hilux pick-up van with registration number KSF918AU belonging to Ahmed when they met their death. THISDAY gathered that Ahmed alongside the other three occupants were on their way back from the golf club when the van plunged into the river at about 5.20am.

Although the cause of the accident was yet to be ascertained as at press time, THISDAY gathered that it could as a result of poor visibility.

While Ahmed's body has been recovered and identified, the bodies of the three other occupants of the van were yet to be found as at press time.

Ahmed's body has been deposited at the General Hospital, Ikorodu, while his relations were said to be running around for the documentation for immediate collection of his remains so that he could be buried as quickly as possible in line with Islamic injunction.

Confirming the recovery of the body, NEMA Public Relations Officer, South-west Zone, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, said the rescue team recovered the said body at about 8.23am yesterday.

He said: "The identified body of Mr. Kolawole Ahmed, who drove the ill-fated Toyota Hilux van was recovered at 8:23 am and the possibility of further recovery is highly remote.

“This is because while eyewitnesses account said four persons were in the car, accounts of the Ikoyi Golf Club authorities contradict this claim as they maintained that Ahmed left alone.”

According to the information made available to THISDAY, as was his daily routine after the close of work, Ahmed had left the club and was heading to his house under construction in Ikorodu when the accident happened.

Although the club admitted that he left with some of his colleagues, they noted that he might have picked some people on his way after dropping his colleagues.

Notwithstanding the arguments, Farinloye said the emergency agencies would continue searching for more bodies in case there were more bodies to be recovered.