The Anambra State Police Command has issued a warning to parents, guardians, schools, and transport operators to enhance safety measures for schoolchildren due to heavy rainfall and flooding across parts of the state. This advisory follows a recent flooding incident that tragically claimed the life of a school pupil. The police are urging residents to treat flooded roads, drainage channels, and waterways as serious threats to life.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, advised parents and guardians not to allow children to travel through areas affected by heavy flooding, strong currents, or overflowing drainage channels. The Command cautioned that floodwater can conceal open drains, erosion channels, culverts, and other hazards that may not be visible to children or motorists. This warning aims to prevent further tragedies and ensure the safety of schoolchildren.
Police authorities also advised parents to maintain direct communication with schools and transport providers during severe weather, particularly before children begin their journey home. They emphasized that if a route becomes flooded or unsafe, parents should not pressure children, school bus operators, or other drivers to proceed through the area. This guidance is crucial in preventing accidents and ensuring the well-being of children.
The Police further urged parents to teach children to stay away from floodwater, rivers, drainage channels, culverts, and construction sites whenever rainfall becomes intense. According to the Command, children in flood-prone communities should be moved immediately to safe and elevated locations once flooding begins. Families should also promptly contact emergency responders if anyone becomes stranded, endangered, or missing.
The police warning also places responsibility on schools and transport operators to reconsider movement during severe weather. Motorists, school bus operators, and other transporters conveying children were advised to exercise extreme caution and discontinue journeys whenever road conditions become unsafe. The Command stressed that punctuality should never take precedence over the safety of children.
The police said the Command would continue working with schools, communities, and other stakeholders through its Safe School initiatives and community policing structures to strengthen child protection across Anambra. This collaborative effort aims to enhance the safety and security of schoolchildren, particularly during severe weather conditions.
The latest warning highlights a growing concern beyond the immediate dangers of flooding: the need for parents, schools, and transport providers to have clear emergency plans for children when severe weather disrupts normal movement. The Command therefore appealed for collective vigilance, urging residents to act quickly whenever flooding threatens lives.
Key points
- Anambra State Police Command warns parents and schools of flood risks to schoolchildren.
- Police advise parents to maintain communication with schools and transport providers during severe weather.
- Command stresses that punctuality should never take precedence over the safety of children.
