Family of Edo deceased toddler fled home

FOR the Oparantis whose six-year-old  toddler was swept away by heavy flood in Benin on July 16, it is double trouble as they have had to flee from their house at Iyesegie street in the Edo State capital as local thugs popularly called area boys laid a siege on their house demanding a slice of the compensation money allegedly paid to them by the Edo State government.

Angry residents of the neighbourhood , mostly youths had trooped out to protest the death of the little school girl.

The protesters who chanted solidarity songs, blocked the busy Benin-Lagos expressway with bonfires and vandalised several sign boards of the Edo State government.

The Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Mr. Paul Ohonbamu had, on July 18, led members of the Edo State Executive Council to commiserate with the family of Miss Victoria Oparanti, the six-year-old pupil of New Generation Group of Schools who was washed away by flood at  five-junction axis of Benin City on her way back from school.

During the condolence visit, Ohonbamu had conveyed the deep pains felt by Governor Godwin Obaseki following the unfortunate incident and extended his condolences to her parents and other members of her family.

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The delegation also visited Pa Omoruyi Idiaghe, the Okaidun of Iyesegie street, where the family resides, and consoled them over the unfortunate incident. Pa Idiaghe thanked the team for the visit, and urged the state government to install the cautionary signs at the spot to forestall future occurrence.

“This woman just moved to this area   a month ago. She is a very good woman, respectful and responsible. It is so painful that such happened to her,” he said.

Apart from the delegation volunteering to take the grief stricken mother of the deceased toddler, Mrs. Bright Oparanti, who sustained injuries while struggling to rescue her daughter in the flood, to a specialist hospital in Benin City for treatment, the visitors were not known to have openly given the family money.

The area boys however cried foul, while insisting that they be given part of the compensation, allegedly amounting to about N5 million as their protest led to media attention and the subsequent government “largesse.”

Speaking from his hideout, a nervous Oparanti wailed that he had to abandon his house as he feared for his life, following persistent demands and threats from the local thugs who were demanding from their own share of the money.

The grieving father denied that he recieved any money from the state government during or after the condolence visit, said he’s afraid that he might be kidnapped or even hurt.

He wailed: “As I speak, I am in hiding because of threats by the area boys that I must share the compensation money from the state government with them because it was their protest which led to government action. In have to run away from my house. I did not receive any money from the government. The remains of my daughter are yet to be found. My family is still in deep distress.”