Police operatives in Anambra State have rescued seven schoolchildren and two adults after their school bus became trapped in floodwaters along the Nibo–Isiagu Road in Awka, with one child still missing following the incident.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, September 22, 2026, amid heavy rainfall that caused flooding along parts of the route.
The Anambra State Police Command said its Safe School Operatives, working with concerned members of the community, responded swiftly after receiving information that the school bus had become stranded in the flood.
According to the command’s spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, the operatives succeeded in rescuing nine people from the vehicle and moving them to safety.
However, one of the schoolchildren remained unaccounted for after the rescue operation, prompting the police to launch a sustained search-and-rescue effort around the affected area.
Ikenga said the search was being conducted in collaboration with community members and other relevant stakeholders in an effort to locate the missing child.
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The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, has directed that the search operation be sustained and expanded until the missing child is found.
The commissioner also appealed to residents, particularly those living or operating around the Nibo–Isiagu route, to provide the police and other emergency responders with any information that could assist in the search.
The command urged motorists, school authorities, parents and guardians to exercise extreme caution when travelling through flood-prone roads, bridges and waterways during periods of heavy rainfall.
It particularly warned parents and guardians against allowing children to attempt to cross flooded or otherwise dangerous routes.
The police said the incident underscored the importance of heightened vigilance around schoolchildren during extreme weather conditions.
The command added that it would continue to strengthen collaboration with communities and relevant agencies under the Safe School Initiative to improve emergency response and prevent avoidable loss of lives.