Civil servant drowns in Abuja flood

A Finance Director in the Federal Captial Territory High Court, Tony Okcheme was on Friday swept away by heavy flood while his driver was rescued.

He was said to be on his way to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in his official 2017 Toyota Camry when his car got stuck in the flood at Galadimawa roundabout.

Galadimawa is about 15 minutes away from the Abuja city center.

While the finance director was swept away by the flood, his driver was rescued and taken to Asokoro hospital, Abuja, by some young men in the area.

Briefing newsmen on rescue efforts, Director-General of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Mr. Abbas Idris, said Okecheme is yet to be found.

He confirmed that the Finance Director was on his way to the International Airport, when he was stuck in the flood, and swept off afterward alongside his driver.

“It is true that we don’t know where he is because we are still searching for the body, but from the information, we had before us, that he was the director of finance of the FCT High Court,” he said.

Idris revealed that the Emergency Agency was currently on a rescue search for the Finance Director at the time this report was filed, and would not conclude on anything till he is found.

“As I’m talking to you, we are still here, carrying out our search; searching for him, and we cannot confirm him dead until we get him. He might be somewhere waiting for rescue to come, and that is what we are doing now, it is only medical personnel that can confirm him dead or alive,” Idris said.

However, Idris expressed hope for a positive search outcome.

He also confirmed that the driver was responding to treatment at the Asokoro hospital, where he was taken to, immediately he was rescued by the agency.

The DG mentioned that the driver’s report was what helped in revealing the identity of the flood victim.