Flood sweeps away 2 brothers in Katsina

A torrential rainfall that hit Katsina metropolis on Sunday claimed the lives of two brothers after they were swept away by floodwaters in Janbago community in the state capital. The victims, Muhammad Salisu, 12, and Abdurrahman Salisu, 7, were said to be returning home from a nearby Islamiyya school when the heavy rain, accompanied by […]

A torrential rainfall that hit Katsina metropolis on Sunday claimed the lives of two brothers after they were swept away by floodwaters in Janbago community in the state capital.

The victims, Muhammad Salisu, 12, and Abdurrahman Salisu, 7, were said to be returning home from a nearby Islamiyya school when the heavy rain, accompanied by strong winds, turned roads into streams.

Residents said the children were swept away by the fast-rising flood and disappeared before help could reach them. After a frantic search, their bodies were recovered from different locations.

They blamed the tragedy on years of poor drainage and erosion.

The incident threw the community into mourning as sympathisers gathered at the family home to console the bereaved parents.

Fighting back tears, the children’s father, Malam Salisu Arabi, described the loss as the most painful experience of his life.

“They left home 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 one day. No father should ever experience this kind of pain. I pray that Allah grants them Aljannatul Firdaus, and I appeal to the government to help us so that no other family will go through what we are facing,” he said.

Their mother, who struggled to speak as relatives comforted her, said she would never forget her sons.

“They were my children, my joy and my hope. Today they are gone because of this flood. My heart is broken. I appeal to the government to solve this problem. I don’t want any other mother to bury her children because of flooding,” she said.

Residents said the tragedy could have been avoided, insisting that Janbago has suffered recurring floods for years due to poor drainage.

A community elder said stormwater from several parts of Katsina Local Government Area flows into Janbago whenever there is heavy rainfall, causing severe erosion, damaged roads and flooding that threatens lives and property.

He said residents had repeatedly appealed to successive administrations and relevant agencies to construct proper drainage channels, but little had been done.

Chairman of the Janbago Community Development Association, Malam Tajuddeen, said the flood had persisted for more than a decade, slowing development and exposing residents to danger every rainy season.

He said, “This is not the first time we have experienced flooding, but it 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 several letters and made repeated appeals to government authorities over the years, but no lasting solution had been provided.

“We appeal to Governor Dikko Umaru Radda to come to our rescue. This is no longer just an environmental problem; it has become a matter of life and death.

“We need proper drainage and erosion-control measures before another tragedy occurs,” he said.

Residents urged the Katsina State Government and relevant agencies to urgently construct effective drainage channels and implement flood-control projects, warning that unless immediate action is taken, similar incidents may continue during the rainy season.