The Kwara State Fire Service has continued a search and rescue operation at Asa Bridge along Emir’s Road in Ilorin after an altercation reportedly led to two men entering the river, with one reported to have drowned and the other remaining missing.
The incident occurred on Saturday, October 17, 2026, following a confrontation between two adults that reportedly escalated, leaving one person injured and triggering a chain of events that ended with two men entering the river under different circumstances.
In a press release signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Kwara State Fire Service, PFO Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, MBA, the agency said it received a distress call and dispatched its personnel to the scene at approximately 10:15 a.m.
According to information gathered at the scene, a man identified as Abubakar reportedly ran towards the river and jumped into the water following the altercation.
Another man, identified as Nasiru, aged 42, who had attempted to intervene in the situation, also entered the river and was subsequently reported to have drowned.
The circumstances surrounding why Abubakar jumped into the river and how Nasiru entered the water were not fully detailed in the statement.
Following the distress call, firefighters immediately commenced an intensive search and rescue operation in an effort to locate the missing man.
The operation continued for several hours as personnel made concerted efforts to find him. However, despite the extensive search, the operation had yet to yield the desired result as of the time the statement was issued.
The fire service confirmed that the search remained ongoing, assuring residents that its personnel would continue working to locate the missing man.
The Chief Fire Officer, Alabi Muhammed, was present at the scene to provide leadership and oversee the rescue operation.
Reacting to the incident, Alabi cautioned members of the public against entering rivers and other bodies of water during confrontations or emergency situations, warning that such actions could expose them to life-threatening risks.
He stressed the importance of prioritising personal safety and contacting the appropriate emergency response agencies when disputes escalate or dangerous situations arise.
The chief fire officer also appealed to residents to remain calm during disagreements and allow trained emergency responders to handle dangerous situations rather than attempting interventions that could put their own lives at risk.
The Kwara State Fire Service reiterated its commitment to the ongoing search operation, promising to make every necessary effort to achieve a positive outcome.
As the search continued, the incident served as a reminder of the potentially fatal consequences of confrontations and risky attempts to intervene in emergencies.
Further details about the initial altercation, the condition of the injured person and the identities of those involved beyond the names provided by the fire service were not disclosed in the statement.