The corpses of two residents who drowned while “stealing fish” washed from people’s ponds during the flood incident in Ilorin, Kwara State, last week are yet to be found.

The victims, from Amilengbe and Sabo-Oke areas, allegedly engaged in the fishing expedition after the flood washed away several fish ponds located in riverine communities

In a telephone chat with City & Crime, the spokesman of the fire service in the state, Hassan Adekunle, said, “We are yet to find the bodies more than a week after the incident. The family of one of the victims who was a commercial tricycle operator has come to claim the tricycle. He parked during the flood and entered the floodwaters to catch fish washed away from people’s ponds and got drowned.

“Our divers have searched for them here and have gone as far as Shao River in Moro LGA without success. We believe that because of the huge volume of water, they must have been swept across the express.”

The General Manager (GM) of the Kwara State Environmental Protection Agency (KWEPA), Alhaji Saad Ayuba Dan Musa, said, “I have received several phone calls from people to drive away thousands of youths swimming to catch fish in the Asa riverine areas, especially at Amilengbe area, behind Salem House.

“The flood swept away fish ponds from various locations into the river which attracted the youths to become emergency fishermen.”