By: Sunday Ameh
Tragedy struck in Jigawa State as a 15-year-old boy, identified as Sunusi Abubakar, drowned in a pond in Gabari village, Garki Local Government Area.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) confirmed the incident in a statement on Thursday, signed by the state command’s spokesperson, ASC Badaruddeen Tijjani.
According to the statement, the teenager’s shoes and trousers were first discovered abandoned at the bank of the pond, locally known as Mahayin gidan Toro, sparking concern among villagers. His lifeless body was later recovered around 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 1.
Narrating the ordeal, the boy’s father, Abubakar Gabari, said Sunusi had gone swimming in the pond at about 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday but never returned home, prompting a frantic community search.
The NSCDC noted that the body bore no signs of injury and was handed over to the family for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.
The command advised parents and guardians to warn their children against swimming in open and unsafe water bodies, stressing that most ponds and irrigation channels in rural Jigawa remain unfenced and dangerous, especially during the rainy season.
Commandant Muhammad Ingawa, while consoling the family, urged residents to report unsafe water bodies to security agencies for timely intervention.
This incident adds to the recurring cases of drowning in Jigawa. In September 2024, four teenage girls drowned in a pond in Gagarawa LGA, while another case in Buji LGA claimed the lives of three girls aged between 12 and 13.
Authorities say greater public awareness is needed to prevent such tragedies.
Leave a Reply