15-year-old boy drowns in Jigawa pond

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A 15-year-old boy, Isah Muhammad, has drowned in a pond popularly known as Sterling Pond along Disina Road in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, raising fresh concerns over the dangers posed by open water bodies during the rainy season.

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The incident was confirmed to PUNCH Metro on Wednesday by the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in the state, ASC Badaruddeen Tijjani.

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Tijjani said the tragedy occurred at about 4:30pm on Tuesday after the command received a distress call reporting that the teenager had drowned in the pond.

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According to him, the victim, a resident of Bokoto Quarters in Dutse, was pulled from the water by the NSCDC personnel attached to the Takur Site Division, who rushed him to the General Hospital, Dutse.

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“On arrival at the hospital, a medical doctor examined the victim and confirmed that he was brought in dead,” Tijjani said.

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He added that the remains were released to the family for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.

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The incident has reignited concerns among residents over the dangers posed by water-filled ponds across the state, particularly during the rainy season when rising water levels increase the risk of drowning.

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A resident, Abdullahi Sani, described the incident as disturbing, warning that ponds become significantly more hazardous during the rainy season.

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“The increased volume of water makes these ponds more dangerous, especially for children and young people who may unknowingly venture close to them,” he said.

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Another resident, Musa Nalayi, urged parents and guardians to keep children away from deep ponds and other unsafe water bodies, saying the latest tragedy should serve as a wake-up call for communities.

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He stressed the need for sustained public awareness campaigns to prevent avoidable drowning incidents.

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Reacting to the incident, the NSCDC State Commandant, Commandant Muhammad Kabiru Ingawa, expressed condolences to the bereaved family, describing the death as an irreparable loss.

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He prayed for Allah to grant the deceased eternal rest and urged residents to exercise greater caution around ponds, rivers and other potentially dangerous water bodies, particularly during the rainy season.

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The latest incident adds to growing concerns over accidental drownings in Nigeria during the peak of the rainy season, with safety advocates repeatedly calling for improved public awareness, closer parental supervision of children and protective measures around unfenced ponds and other hazardous water bodies.

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