No fewer than six students drowned in the Mbang river on Tuesday in Ribang (Mbang) village, Kauru Local Government Area, Kaduna State, while returning from a junior WAEC exam at about 5:30 p.m.
The students were identified as Manasseh Monday (16 yrs), Musa John (16 yrs), Pius David (15 yrs), Monday Ayuba (16 yrs), David Danlami (19 yrs), and Yahuza Audu (16 yrs), who were students of Government Secondary School Fadan Chawai writing the West African Junior School Examination.
Pastor Simon Ishaku, the National Public Relations Officer of the Ribang Development Association, who confirmed the incident to PUNCH Online via telephone on Wednesday, disclosed that three dead bodies have already been recovered and buried amidst tears.
He clarified that the three missing people have not yet been found since the villagers have not been able to retrieve them from the river.
“The schoolchildren left their homes full of hope and excitement while their parents went to the farm with the hope of reuniting with them after writing their papers of the day, only to meet their untimely deaths.
“The Mbang River has been a death trap for our people over the years, noting that before the community can access any school or any hospital facility, they’ve had to travel for about 8 kilometres.
“We’re calling on the Federal Government, Governor Uba Sani, Senator Sunday Katung, and our House of Representatives members, as a matter of urgency, to kindly assist us with school, hospitals, access roads, and bridges in order to bring succour to our community,” Simon appealed.
At the time of filing this report, ASP Mansir Hassan, the public relations officer for the Kaduna State Police, had yet to comment on the incident.
