The lifeless body of a 15-year-old boy has been recovered from a pond in Gabari village, Garki Local Government Area of Jigawa State, after he drowned during a swimming competition with friends.
The boy, Sanusi, an inexperienced swimmer, had gone to the pond, locally known as Mahayin Gidan Toro, about 1.5 kilometres north of Gabari village, with friends when he suddenly drowned.
According to the boy’s father, Abubakar Gabari, his son had gone swimming around 5:00 p.m. but never returned home, prompting an immediate search by concerned members of the community.
Confirming the incident in a statement on Thursday, the spokesperson for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Jigawa State Command, Badaruddeen Tijjani, said the boy was found lifeless inside the pond.
Tijjani explained that the teenager’s shoes and trousers were first spotted abandoned on the riverbank on September 30, raising concern among villagers.
He added that the body showed no signs of injury and was subsequently handed over to the family for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.
Tijjani urged the public to remain vigilant and prioritise safety around open water bodies to avoid similar tragedies.
“It is crucial to educate our children about the dangers of unsupervised swimming to prevent future tragedies of this nature,” he said.
He also noted that the NSCDC in Jigawa remains committed to safeguarding lives and property, while calling for increased public awareness across the state.
