Flood kills 4 children in Abaji community

Four children have lost their lives in a flood at Dogon-Ruwa community in Abaji Area Council of the FCT. Our reporter, however, learnt that a woman with her six month-old baby strapped to her back survived the flooding. A resident of the community, Mohammed Haruna, said the children were travelling in a pickup van alongside […]

Four children have lost their lives in a flood at Dogon-Ruwa community in Abaji Area Council of the FCT.

Our reporter, however, learnt that a woman with her six month-old baby strapped to her back survived the flooding.

A resident of the community, Mohammed Haruna, said the children were travelling in a pickup van alongside their parents from Lambatta market to their village when the vehicle got submerged in flood waters.

He said the incident happened at 8:00pm, adding that while crossing the stream, the engine of the van went off.

“The driver alighted to look for people around to help him push the pickup out of the water but before that could be done, flood inundated the vehicle and the four children drowned,” he said.

He said a woman with her six months baby strapped to her survived after she managed to grab a big stone some few metres away from the scene, saying the woman and her child were later taken to the hospital.

According to him, the children who died were 7, 8, 9 and 12 years.

He said the corpses of the children were later recovered the next day downstream and were buried by the families.

When contacted, the Abaji Divisional Police Officer (DPO) CSP Umar Musa, said he was only aware of a flood at  neighboring Gawu village, but said he was not aware if lives were involved.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the council, Alhaji Abdulrahman Ajiya, expressed shock and sadness over the death of the four children.

Ajiya joined members of the deceased family to mourn the death of the children, while he prayed for the souls of the children to rest in peace.