Environment:
Search for 5-Year-Old Swept Away by Flood in Aba River Ends Without Success
The search for the body of five-year-old Melody, who was swept away by floodwaters into the Aba River, has so far ended without success. The little girl, a resident of Akpu Road in Ogbor Hill, Aba, was reportedly carried away by a powerful flood on Saturday, June 27, 2026, while playing with her seven-year-old brother. Despite intensified rescue efforts involving community members and traditional search teams, her body had not been recovered as of the time this report was filed. Investigations also revealed that several roads around the Aba River, including Ngwa Road, Akpu Road, Ovom Street, Pepples Road, and Emologu Road, are lined with dangerous open drainage channels that funnel stormwater from the Ogbor Hill area directly into the river.
According to information gathered by our correspondent, Melody accidentally fell into one of the open drainages during the heavy rainfall while playing outside with her brother. The drainage, which was overflowing with fast-moving floodwater, swept her into the Aba River within moments. Her mother, Madam Charity, recounted that she had gone to the Good Morning Market near the Orji Uzor Kalu Bridge, close to the Aba Mega Abattoir, to sell her goods when she received an urgent message asking her to return home. She explained that she initially delayed because she wanted to collect money from customers who owed her before the market closed for the weekend. Sadly, upon returning home, she was informed that her daughter had been carried away by the flood, a tragedy she said has left her devastated.
Eyewitnesses disclosed that immediately after the incident, community members contacted the custodians of the Aba River in Ogbor Village for assistance. They were instructed to return the following day so that traditional rites could be performed before a search party could begin the recovery operation. Sunday's search did not produce any results, prompting the exercise to be postponed until Monday, June 29, 2026. Some residents also claimed that traditional beliefs suggested that if the girl's body was eventually found, she would have to be buried near the riverbank to prevent further misfortune from befalling the family.
On Monday, a traditional priest, accompanied by members of his entourage and experienced local swimmers, carried out the prescribed rituals before constructing a temporary rescue canoe made from banana stems tied together. The team searched areas where they believed the river usually deposits heavy objects carried by the current. However, after hours of searching, they returned empty-handed, leaving grieving relatives, sympathisers, and residents who had gathered along the riverbank heartbroken. The disappointment was further compounded by another heavy downpour in Aba, which forced the search to end earlier than planned. Community members confirmed that efforts to recover Melody's body will continue in the coming days.
