The body of a 15-year-old boy has been recovered from a pond in Gabari village, Garki Local Government Area of Jigawa State, marking yet another tragic drowning incident in the state.
Confirming the development on Thursday in a statement issued in Dutse, the state capital, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Jigawa Command, ASC Badaruddeen Tijjani, identified the deceased as Sunusi Abubakar.
According to Tijjani, the boy was found lifeless in the pond, locally known as Mahayin gidan Toro, located about 1.5 kilometres north of Gabari village, around 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday.
The tragedy first came to light when villagers spotted Sunusi’s abandoned shoes and trousers by the pond’s edge on September 30. This discovery sparked fear that the boy, who had gone missing hours earlier, may have drowned.
Speaking on the incident, the victim’s father, Abubakar Gabari, recounted that his son had gone swimming in the pond around 5:00 p.m. but never returned home. Alarmed by his absence, the family immediately mobilised community members for a search, which unfortunately ended in the recovery of his lifeless body.
The NSCDC confirmed that there were no signs of injury on the body. It was later released to the family for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.
Tijjani used the opportunity to caution parents and guardians on the dangers of children swimming in unsafe water bodies. He also advised residents to remain vigilant around rivers, ponds, and irrigation sites that pose potential risks.
The NSCDC remains committed to safeguarding lives and property across the state. However, we urge parents and community leaders to prioritise safety around water bodies and to warn children against swimming in open ponds to prevent such tragedies,” he said.
In his reaction, the State Commandant of the NSCDC, Muhammad Ingawa, described the incident as unfortunate and called for collective action to prevent further loss of lives. He noted that many rural ponds and rivers in Jigawa are unfenced and easily accessible to children, increasing the risk of drowning.
The NSCDC also urged local communities to promptly report unsafe or high-risk areas to security agencies for timely intervention.
Recurring Safety Challenge in Jigawa
The drowning of Sunusi Abubakar is not an isolated incident but part of a disturbing trend in Jigawa and other northern states, especially during the rainy season when ponds and rivers become swollen.
In September 2024, tragedy struck in Malkaderi village, Gagarawa LGA, when four teenage girls drowned while swimming in a pond. Similarly, three girls aged between 12 and 13 lost their lives in another pond-related incident in Buji LGA.
In another case reported in Birninkudu LGA, two young men drowned in a pond while attempting to cross to a nearby market.
These frequent cases highlight the urgent need for both preventive measures and stronger community awareness campaigns to address the recurring safety risks associated with unfenced ponds and water bodies in the state.
Call for Preventive Action
Security experts and traditional leaders have consistently urged the government to implement proactive measures, including fencing dangerous water bodies, launching sensitisation campaigns, and providing recreational facilities where children can safely swim.
While investigations into the latest case have been concluded, residents of Gabari village remain in mourning, describing Sunusi as a vibrant boy whose life was cut short too soon.
The tragedy, once again, brings to the forefront the question of how many more lives must be lost before deliberate preventive action is taken.