The Anambra State Police Command has urged parents, guardians, schools, transport operators and other stakeholders to exercise heightened vigilance and take necessary precautions to protect schoolchildren following recent heavy rainfall and flooding in parts of the state.
The warning followed a tragic incident in which a school pupil reportedly lost his life amid the flooding, prompting the Command to call for greater caution during periods of severe weather.
In a press statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, advised parents and guardians to avoid allowing children to travel during heavy rainfall, particularly in areas showing signs of flooding, strong water currents or overflowing roads and drainage channels.
SP Ikenga warned that children should never be allowed to cross flooded roads, bridges, drainage channels or waterways, regardless of how shallow or familiar such routes might appear, noting that floodwater could conceal open drains, erosion channels, culverts and other dangerous hazards. He also urged parents and guardians to closely supervise schoolchildren before, during and after school hours, especially where their homes or schools are located in flood-prone areas.
According to him, parents should maintain direct communication with schools and transport providers during severe weather conditions and confirm the safety and location of their children before they begin their journey home.
The Police spokesperson further advised parents to teach children to stay away from floodwater, drainage channels, rivers, culverts and construction areas, and to move immediately to safe and elevated locations whenever flooding begins.
He stressed that safety should take precedence over punctuality, urging parents not to pressure children, school bus operators or other drivers to proceed through flooded or unsafe routes.
The command also called on motorists, school bus operators and other transporters conveying children to exercise extreme caution during rainfall and discontinue movement whenever road conditions become unsafe. It further urged residents to promptly alert the Police or other emergency responders whenever anyone is missing, stranded or endangered by flooding.
The PPRO said the Anambra State Police Command, through its Safe School initiatives and community policing structures, would continue to work with schools, communities and relevant stakeholders to strengthen the safety and protection of children across the state.
He emphasized that protecting children during severe weather remained a collective responsibility, urging parents, schools, communities, transport operators and security agencies to remain vigilant and respond promptly whenever flooding poses a threat to life.
The command consequently advised residents: “If the road is flooded, do not take the risk. Turn back and seek a safer route.”
