Two brothers, Muhammad Salisu, 12, and Abdurrahman Salisu, 7, lost their lives after they were carried away by flood in Janbago, a community in Katsina State.
The victims, were said to be returning home from a nearby Islamiyya school when downpour, accompanied by strong winds, turned the streets into raging torrents.
Their bodies were later recovered from different locations after frantic search efforts by residents.
The incident plunged the entire community into mourning as sympathisers thronged the family residence to console the bereaved parents.
Fighting back tears, the children’s father, Malam Salisu Arabi, described the loss as the most painful moment of his life.
“They left home that day like every other child going to Islamiyya school. I never imagined that the same rain we all witnessed would take away my two children. I have lost two sons in a single day. No father should ever have to endure this kind of pain. I pray that Allah grants them Aljannatul Firdaus, and I appeal to the government to help us so that another family will not suffer what we are passing through.”
The children’s mother, who struggled to speak as relatives consoled her, said the memories of her sons would remain with her forever.
“They were my children, my happiness and my hope. Today they are gone because of this flood. My heart is broken. I am pleading with the government to address this problem. I don’t want any other mother to bury her children because of flooding.”
Residents said the tragedy was avoidable, insisting that Janbago community has suffered recurring floods for years due to inadequate drainage infrastructure.
An elder in the community explained that stormwater from several parts of Katsina Local Government Area converges on Janbago during heavy rainfall, resulting in severe erosion, damaged roads and repeated flooding that threatens lives and property.
According to him, residents have repeatedly appealed to successive administrations and relevant agencies to provide proper drainage channels, but little has changed.
Chairman of the Janbago Community Development Association, Malam Tajuddeen, said the flooding problem has persisted for more than a decade, hindering development and exposing residents to danger every rainy season.
“This is not the first time we have experienced flooding, but this is one of the most heartbreaking incidents because it claimed the lives of two innocent children. Water from different parts of Katsina passes through this community because there are no adequate drainage channels. Every year we lose property, our roads are washed away and our people live in fear whenever it rains.”
He said the community had written letters and made several appeals to government authorities over the years, but a permanent solution had yet to be provided.
“We are appealing to Governor Dikko Umaru Radda to come to our rescue. This is no longer just an environmental challenge; it has become a matter of life and death. We need proper drainage and erosion-control measures before another tragedy occurs.”
Residents urged the Katsina State Government and relevant agencies to urgently intervene by constructing effective drainage channels and implementing flood-control projects, warning that unless immediate action is taken, similar incidents could continue to occur during the rainy season.
