A heart-wrenching tragedy struck Malkaderi village in Gagarawa Local Government Area of Jigawa State when four teenage girls drowned in a pond on Saturday morning.
The incident, confirmed by the Public Relations Officer of the Jigawa State Police Command, DSP Lawan Shiisu Adam on Sunday, occurred around 11 a.m.
According to DSP Adam, five teenage girls went swimming in the pond, but only one of them survived. “In a tragic and devastating incident reported to the Command on September 28, 2024, five teenagers, all female, went swimming in a pond at Malkaderi village, Gagarawa LGA, at about 11:00 a.m.,” he said.
Tragically, four of the girls—Saina’u Musa (12), Fiddausi Ado (11), Habiba Musa (12), and Bahijja Musa (13)—were found floating lifeless in the water. The fifth girl, Sahura Audu (8), was discovered struggling and was rescued in time.
A swift response from police officers and divers saw the victims rushed to Gagarawa Primary Health Centre. Unfortunately, four of the girls were pronounced dead by medical personnel, while Sahura Audu was successfully resuscitated, treated, and discharged.
The Jigawa State Commissioner of Police, AT Abdullahi, expressed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and urged parents and guardians to be vigilant about their children’s activities, especially during the rainy season when water levels in ponds, rivers, and streams are at their highest.
