Tragedy in Bauchi as three teenage boys drown in river near mining site
By: Zagazola Makama
What was meant to be an ordinary day of mining activities turned into tragedy for three families in Durum village, Bauchi Local Government Area, when their teenage sons drowned in a nearby river on Tuesday afternoon.
The victims Habibu Mohammed and Abubakar Mohammed, both aged 16, and 14-year-old Zalani Suleiman were part of a group of young boys who had gone to the outskirts of Jinkiri village, not far from the Durum mining site, to scavenge for mineral deposits. However, unknown to their peers, the trio had wandered off to a nearby river to swim.
According to Malam Yakubu Ahmad, the hamlet head of Jinkiri village, the boys were later found unconscious in the water and rushed to the Specialist Hospital in Bauchi, where they were confirmed dead on arrival.
“They came here often for mining and used to swim in the river after work,” Ahmad told Zagazola sources“But this time, their luck ran out. We are heartbroken.”
Police operatives from the Bauchi State Command responded swiftly upon receiving the distress call. A team was dispatched to the scene, where the bodies were retrieved and examined. No signs of violence or foul play were discovered, leading authorities to believe it was a case of accidental drowning.
“The investigation is ongoing, but at this point, we suspect no foul play,” a police sources said. “The deceased had isolated themselves from the rest of the group to swim, which unfortunately led to the incident.”
Swimming in rivers and dams is a common pastime for many youths in rural Bauchi, especially during the hot season. However, the dangers of unsupervised swimming remain a persistent risk in these communities, many of which lack safety awareness or rescue infrastructure.
