YOBE RIVER TRAGEDY: ONE CHILD RESCUED, ANOTHER STILL MISSING

Emergency responders in Yobe State are searching for a child who remains missing after two children were involved in a river incident in Dapchi, Bursari Local Government Area.

One of the children, identified as 14-year-old Goni Mustapha, was rescued after the incident on Sunday, according to the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency.

The incident occurred at about 2:30pm around Unguwar Bulama Alhaji Ahmadu in Dapchi community.

SEMA’s Director of Search and Rescue Operations, Dr Muhammad Ibrahim Jalo, said search and rescue teams recovered Mustapha at about 5pm. The search for the second child was continuing.

RESCUE TEAMS DEPLOYED

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State and local government emergency teams, together with local divers, were involved in the operation. The use of local divers is particularly important in communities where residents often possess practical knowledge of rivers and water channels.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the incident is also a reminder of the danger posed by rivers and other water bodies to children, particularly during the rainy season when water levels and currents can change rapidly.

SEMA urged parents and guardians to prevent children from approaching rivers without supervision. The agency has not indicated that the second child has been found.

SEARCH CONTINUES

The immediate priority remains recovery and reunification with the family.Unlike a conventional road accident, water-related incidents can become difficult search operations because victims can be carried downstream by currents and visibility beneath the water can be poor.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the continuing operation should be guided by accurate information about the location, water conditions and movements of the current. The incident also reinforces the need for community-level water-safety awareness, especially around rivers used by children during the rainy season.