At least six teenagers drowned in the Mbang River in Ribang (Mbang) village, located in the Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, on Tuesday.
Pastor Simon Ishaku, the National Public Relations Officer of the Ribang Development Association, confirmed the heartbreaking news.
The teenagers were on their way home after writing their junior WAEC exam when the accident occurred.
The victims have been identified as Manasseh Monday (16 years old), Musa John (16 years old), Pius David (15 years old), Monday Ayuba (16 years old), David Danlami (19 years old), and Yahuza Audu (16 years old).
All of them were students at Government Secondary School Fadan Chawai and were taking the West African Junior School Examination.
Pastor Ishaku further explained that three of the bodies are still missing, as local efforts to recover them from the river have been unsuccessful.
“The school children left their homes full of hope and excitement while their parents went to the farm, expecting to reunite with them after their exams. Instead, they met their untimely deaths,” Ishaku said.
He emphasized that the Mbang River has been a perilous hazard for the community for many years.
Residents must travel approximately 8 kilometers to reach any school or hospital facilities, making the journey risky.
Pastor Ishaku made a heartfelt appeal to the Federal Government, Governor Uba Sani, Senator Sunday Katung, and members of the House of Representatives to urgently provide the community with a school, hospital, access road, and bridge to prevent further tragedies.
“The Mbang River has been a death trap for our people over the years,” Ishaku stated. “We’re calling on the Federal Government and our local leaders to assist us urgently by providing essential infrastructure to bring relief to our community.”
As of now, there has been no response from the police or the national emergency agency regarding the incident.
