Man, 52, Found Dead in Uncovered Well Near School in Ilorin

Residents of the Asa-Dam area in Ilorin, Kwara State, were left in shock on Tuesday after the body of 52-year-old Alaba Ayeni was recovered from a domestic well near Lamp Bearers Islamic School, off Asa-Dam Road.

Children playing in the neighbourhood first noticed the man inside the well and raised the alarm, alerting elders. The well, described as an uncovered surface well serving as a water source for a building under construction, stands close to the deceased’s residence and near Arikewuyo Street.

According to the Kwara State Fire Service, a distress call was received and a team mobilised, arriving at the scene around 8:42 a.m. Firefighters then carried out a recovery operation and retrieved Ayeni’s body. The remains were formally handed over to the Divisional Police Officer, identified as Bolaji, at Budo-Nuhu Police Station for investigation and further action.

The Fire Service Public Relations Officer, Hassan Adekunle (also referred to in some reports as Hassan Hakeem Adekunle), confirmed the details. Some accounts indicate Ayeni had greeted residents while passing through the area shortly beforehand, showing no obvious sign of distress, before entering the well and later calling out, which drew the children’s attention. The service noted that the precise circumstances of how he ended up in the well had not been fully established at the time of recovery, though certain reports describe the incident as a suspected suicide attempt. Police are conducting further inquiries.

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Chief Fire Officer Alabi Muhammed expressed concern over the dangers posed by uncovered wells and open water sources in residential areas. He appealed to property owners and residents to properly cover and secure domestic wells to prevent similar tragedies. Muhammed also urged parents, guardians and community leaders to keep close supervision of children and prevent them from playing or moving unattended near wells, drainage channels and other hazardous spots.

The incident has renewed local attention on the need for basic safety measures around domestic water points in densely populated parts of the state capital.