Six students from Government Secondary School Fadan Chawai in Ribang (Mbang) village, Kauru Local Government Area, Kaduna State, drowned while returning from a Junior WAEC exam on Tuesday.
The victims were identified as Manasseh Monday (16 years), Musa John (16 years), Pius David (15 years), Monday Ayuba (16 years), David Danlami (19 years), and Yahuza Audu (16 years).
Pastor Simon Ishaku, the National Public Relations Officer of Ribang Development Association, confirmed the occurrence with the press on Wednesday, June 26.
Ishaku revealed that three bodies had already been retrieved and buried, amidst tears.
He explained that three people remain missing because locals have been unable to recover them from the river.
“The school children left their homes full of hope and excitement while their parents went to the farm with the hope of reuniting with them after writing their papers of the day, only to meet their untimely death,” he said.
“The Mbang river has been a death trap for our people over the years, noting before the community can access any school or any hospital facility they’ve to travel for about 8 kilometres.
“We’re calling on the Federal Government, Governor Uba Sani, Senator Sunday Katung and our House of Representative members as a matter of urgency, to kindly assist us with school, hospital, access road and bridge in order to bring succour to our community,” Simon appealed.
The Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan, was not available for comments on the incident.