A job seeker identified simply as Azeez and a 10-year-old boy, Tomilola Tunde, escaped death by the whiskers in Ilorin on Sunday when a Sport Utility Vehicle in which they were in plunged into a canal.

Azeez, 25, is a neighbour to the boy's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Kayode Tunde, who live at Global Soap Quarters, New Yidi Road, Ilorin, Kwara State.

It was learnt that the boy's mother, who declined to give her name, but popularly known as Iya Tuns, had just returned from church service with the SUV when Azeez approached her and offered to wash the vehicle.

But she was said to have declined on the grounds that the SUV was cleaned.

While she observed her siesta, according to an eyewitness, Azeez was said to have taken the SUV's key from where it was kept and cleaned the vehicle.

When he finished cleaning it, he was said to have turned the ignition on and the vehicle hit a nearby house.

On noticing that the fence of the house had collapsed, Azeez became agitated and in that confusion put the vehicle on the reverse. Consequently, the SUV moved towards Azeez's house, rammed into the fence of the building and plunged into a canal behind. Luckily, Azeez and Tomilola, who were in the SUV, came out of the canal unhurt.

Sympathisers and neighbours were seen making efforts to remove the vehicle from the canal when our correspondent visited the scene on Sunday.

Some of the neigbours, who declined to give their names, expressed shock that Azeez, who had no driving experience, could take such a risk.

Azeez was said to have later fled the vicinity and had yet to be seen as at the time of filing this report.