Four feared dead as tree falls during rainfall in Oyo community

Four persons were feared killed, and another seriously injured, when an ancient tree fell during heavy rainfall in Saabo area of Oyo.

According to NAN, the tree provided shelter for butchers, drivers, and commercial motorcycle operators at a popular foodstuff market in Oyo town.

Those affected were people who took shelter under the tree during the rainfall.

According to Akeebu Alarape, chairman of Saabo market, the tree was said to be around for about 100 years.

Alarape said four different sawyers who were called to cut the tree did not succeed, until a fifth was able to cut parts of it for a rescue operation to begin.

Akeem Ojo, head of operations, Amotekun, in Atiba local council development area (LCDA), said the incident occurred around 6pm on Monday.

“A female student of the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, a woman with a baby strapped to her back and a boy she was holding were pulled out from under the tree,” he said.

“One person was seriously injured and was taken to a private hospital in the area, while motorcycle and minibus parked under the tree were damaged.”

He added that Amotekun’s presence at the scene of the incident was to prevent riot and looting of goods in the market.

Seun Oguntona, chairman of Sooro LCDA, said those trading under the tree would be relocated.

He urged people in the area to always stay indoors and not to take shelter under trees when it rained.

He also dismissed claims that the tree was related to anything fetish, adding that the person that planted it died 30 years ago.

Oguntona said though the man who planted the tree was a “Sango worshipper”, the decision to plant it was to provide shade for people.