The Kwara State Fire Service has launched a search and rescue operation for two men who reportedly jumped into the Asa River in Ilorin, the state capital, following an altercation on Saturday.

One of the men, identified as Abubakar, reportedly ran towards the river and jumped in during the incident, while the second man, identified as Nasiru, 42, also entered the river after attempting to intervene.

The incident occurred at about 11am around Asa Bridge, along Emir’s Road, Ilorin.

The spokesperson of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, confirmed the incident in a statement, saying firefighters had been searching for the missing men for several hours without success.

According to the statement, the service received a distress call and deployed its personnel to the scene at 10:15am on Saturday, October 17, 2026.

“According to information gathered at the scene, an altercation reportedly occurred between two adults, during which one person sustained an injury. A man identified as Abubakar reportedly ran towards the river and jumped in. 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 statement said.

The fire service said its personnel immediately began an intensive search and rescue operation after receiving the report.

Despite several hours of searching, the operation had yet to yield any results as of the time the statement was issued.

“As of the time of this press release, the search operation remains ongoing, with the Kwara State Fire Service continuing its efforts to locate the missing man,” the statement added.

The Chief Fire Officer, Alabi Muhammed, urged members of the public to avoid entering rivers or other bodies of water during confrontations or emergencies.

He stressed the need for people to prioritise their safety and contact the appropriate emergency response agencies for assistance.

Muhammed also urged residents to remain calm during disputes and allow trained emergency responders to handle dangerous situations.