On Saturday, at least four girls drowned in a pond in Malkaderi Village, located in the Gagarawa Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
The Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, Lawan Adam, confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday.
“In a tragic and devastating incident reported to the command on September 28, 2024, at about 1530hrs, five teenagers, all female, went swimming in a pond at Malkaderi village, Gagarawa LGA, on the same date at about 1100hrs.
“But unfortunately, four of them namely: Saina’u Musa, 12; Fiddausi Ado, 11; Habiba Musa, 12′ Bahijja Musa, 13, were found drowned and floating in the pond, while Sahura Audu, 8; was still struggling,” Adam said.
He added that following receipt of the report, a team of police officers and local divers rushed to the scene and launched a rescue operation, saying, “The victims were all evacuated from the pond and rushed to the Gagarawa Primary Health Centre.”
According to him, four victims were confirmed dead by the medical doctor on duty, while Sahura was resuscitated, treated and discharged. The corpses were later released to their relatives for proper burial.
The State Commissioner of Police, AT Abdullahi, extended his condolences to the deceased’s families and relatives and prayed for their eternal peace.
The police boss, therefore, cautioned parents and guardians to keep a close eye on their children’s whereabouts and warned them not to swim in any body of water, especially during the rainy season when the volume of most ponds, rivers and streams are higher.
