THERE was uneasy calm in Ilorin at the weekend as an unknown young man reportedly drowned in Asa River. It was gathered that the man whose identity was still sketchy, entered the river, which flows through Emir’s Road, with the intention of fishing. City Rove learnt that it was at the point of catching games that the victim started drowning around 7am.

Some residents near the river bank, who could not swim in the murky water, shouted for help when The Herald correspondent visited. Pedestrians and bystanders formed clusters around the river's hand drain to catch the glimpse of the moment while some wore sympathetic look.

The Herald correspondent also observed that some motorists also parked and disembarked to ascertain reason for gathering of unusual tumultuous crowd around the river bank. Asa, Asa River, Asa river in Ilorin, Ilorin Asa river, Afon river asa, asa local governernment river asa, over flown river asa

It was learnt that some Samaritans jumped into the river and conducted an intense search under the deluge of water to rescue the drowning man. The search proved unsuccessful as at the time City Rove visited. The arrival of men of the state fire service saved the day as some operatives of the service carried out a thorough rescue effort where the man was later found in a state of coma.

It was gathered that the victim was rushed to an undisclosed hospital for swift medical attention. An eyewitness, who preferred to remain anonymous told our correspondent that the identity of the man was still unknown to the people around. Sources said the victim might have gone to fish or defecate when his legs slipped in the water.

"We don't really know what happened. As soon as we suspected that somebody was drowning, we all gathered here with the aim of rescuing him. Although none of us could jump into the river because of fear that the volume of water in the river had increased.

"While effort was being made to rescue him, our ostensible assumption was that the guy might have gone to the river to fish or defecate. Despite the fact that nobody could jump into the river looking helpless, two people volunteered but could not locate him. "It was the arrival of men of the state fire service that saved the victim. He was still breathing when they rescued him", the source said.