Two siblings have been pronounced dead and property worth millions of naira destroyed after flood submerged their community following a heavy downpour recorded in Minna, the Niger State capital.
The victims, a nine-year-old girl and her 11-year-old brother, drowned while returning home from the market in the Tunga area.
It was learnt that the victims had gone to buy ingredients for soup during a brief pause in rainfall, unaware that the flood risk remained high.
As they attempted to navigate the waterlogged streets, the younger sister reportedly slipped and fell into a flooded drainage channel. Her brother rushed to alert nearby residents and their parents, but both were eventually swept away by the fast-moving current.
Their bodies were discovered hours later, over five kilometres away along Mandela Road, confirming that the boy also drowned while trying to save his sister.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) spokesperson, Hussaine Ibrahim, who confirmed the tragedy yesterday, described the event as deeply heartbreaking. He added that the agency was not immediately aware of the tragedy but would reach out to the affected family to provide support.
“This is indeed a heartbreaking event,” Ibrahim said. “We will conduct further inquiries and ensure the family receives the necessary assistance.”
The incident has sparked renewed concern over the state of drainage systems and the lack of flood control measures in Niger’s urban areas, especially during the rainy season.
Residents and emergency responders are urging the government to act swiftly to improve infrastructure and implement safeguards to protect vulnerable citizens, particularly children, from similar tragedies.
