Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The body of six-year-old Success Ezenwafor, a pupil of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) Primary School in Awka, Anambra State, has been recovered, bringing a tragic end to a 24-hour search that gripped the community and laid bare the devastating consequences of the state’s flood crisis. The boy’s remains were found on Wednesday morning, September 23, 2026, during a search operation conducted by the police and community members, according to a statement by the Anambra State Police Command.
Success was one of ten occupants of a shuttle bus that was trapped and overturned by floodwaters on Tuesday morning along the Nibo–Isiagu Ring Road in Awka South Local Government Area. The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday following a heavy downpour that submerged roads, markets, schools, and public places across the state capital. Nine other occupants of the vehicle—seven schoolchildren and two adults—were rescued by operatives of the Anambra State Police Command, in collaboration with residents, and rushed to the Chukwuebuka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku, Awka, for treatment. Success remained missing until his body was recovered on Wednesday morning. His remains were subsequently deposited at the morgue.
The boy’s father recalled his final moments with his son before he left home for school on Tuesday. “Success kissed his father on both cheeks, said goodbye and boarded the shuttle bus for school. Tragically, he never returned home,” said Prince Chinedu Okafor, Chairman of Awka South Local Government Area, who led the rescue operation and confirmed the recovery of the body. Okafor said two other children from the Ezenwafor family who were also involved in the incident were fortunately rescued.
But it was the account of Success’s final act that has moved many to tears. According to a family member, the six-year-old broke one of the vehicle’s windows, creating an escape route through which others were able to get out. “The family member described Success as a brave boy. According to him, Success broke one of the vehicle’s windows, creating an escape route through which others were able to get out. Sadly, he could not make it to safety himself,” Okafor said. The boy’s bravery in the face of death has been widely praised, with many describing him as a hero who sacrificed his own life so that his schoolmates could survive.
In a statement, the Ezenwafor family described the incident as a painful loss. “With total submission to God, we announce that our little son, Success Ezenwafor, has joined the Church triumphant,” the family said. They confirmed that arrangements were being made to move the remains from Amaku to their hometown, Ula, Ekwulobia. The family also noted that every other occupant of the vehicle was rescued and taken to Amaku, where they are recovering well.
The tragedy has once again drawn attention to the recurring flood disasters in Anambra State and the urgent need for improved drainage infrastructure. According to The Guardian, the heavy downpour that began in the early hours of Monday and lasted until Tuesday afternoon submerged roads, markets, schools, and other public and private places, preventing workers and traders from leaving their homes. The flood also collapsed two buildings and pulled down 20 walls at Oguguo Nebe Road, off Miracle Junction near the university. A resident of Oguguo Nebe Avenue, Emmanuel Nnaemeka, who had parked his vehicle for about three months due to the bad nature of the road, had warned that if the state government failed to intervene, future rainfalls would block the drainage and worsen the deterioration of the road. Two days after his warning, the flood struck.
The Anambra State First Lady, Dr Nonye Soludo, has urged residents to take greater precautions as flooding continues to affect some communities. In a statement issued in Awka on Wednesday, Soludo expressed concern about the flood situation and its potential impact on families, particularly those living in flood-prone areas. She urged residents to remain vigilant, heed weather and flood warnings, avoid crossing flooded roads and waterways, and relocate to safer areas whenever their homes or surroundings become unsafe. She also urged residents to keep their surroundings clean and desist from dumping refuse in drainage channels, warning that blocked waterways contribute to the severity of flooding.
The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, Nnanna Oji Ama, had earlier directed that the search operation be sustained and expanded until the missing child was found. The police spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, said the search was being conducted in collaboration with community members and other relevant stakeholders. The command also advised parents, guardians, school authorities, and motorists to exercise extreme caution around flooded roads, bridges, and waterways during periods of heavy rainfall.
The recovery of Success Ezenwafor’s body marks the end of a search that captivated the state, but it also marks the beginning of a painful journey of grief for his family. The young boy, described by his family as brave and full of life, will be remembered not just as a victim of a natural disaster but as a hero who thought of others in his final moments. His story serves as a somber reminder of the human cost of the state’s infrastructure deficits and the urgent need for government action to prevent future tragedies.
As the family prepares to bury their son, the people of Awka are left to grapple with the uncomfortable truth that this tragedy was not an isolated incident. It was the latest in a series of flood-related deaths in a state that has repeatedly failed to address the root causes of its drainage crisis. The question on everyone’s mind is no longer whether another tragedy will happen, but when, and whether the government will finally take the steps needed to protect its most vulnerable citizens—its children.
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