Flood sweeps away two sisters, others in Zaria

Two people have been confirmed dead while two others remain missing after they were swept away by floodwaters following a heavy downpour in Zaria, Kaduna State, on Monday.

The incident happened in the Tudun Jukun area of Zaria

It was further gathered that the bodies of an 18-year-old lady, Fatima Sani Dan Marke, a student of the School of Basic and Remedial Studies, Funtua, and another student, Yusuf Surajo, popularly known as Abba, were recovered at the Isan Nabawa Primary School bridge in Tudun Wada, Zaria.

While the body of Surajo was discovered on Monday, Fatima’s remains were recovered the following day, Tuesday. However, Fatima’s three-year-old sister, Haneefa, is still missing.

Fatima’s funeral prayer was held at about 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday at Tudun Jukun, Zaria.

Fatima was the daughter of Alhaji Sani Danmarke, popularly known as ASD, a well-known businessman dealing in fertilizer at PZ, Sabon Gari, Zaria.

At the time of the incident, she had her three-year-old sister, Haneefa, strapped to her back.

The two were returning from their grandmother’s residence in Magume to their family house in Tudun Jukun, both communities being within walking distance.

They were offered a ride by Fatima’s Islamiyya teacher, identified simply as Mallam Daddy, who conveyed them on his motorcycle.

Witnesses said tragedy struck at the junction near Nasara Baptist Church along Gaskiya Main Road in Tudun Jukun.

They said that while the motorcyclist, Mallam Daddy, managed to escape the floodwaters, Fatima and little Haneefa were swept away.

An eyewitness, Mustapha Badamasi Dan Bakano, said Fatima and her sister got off the motorcycle when the driver hit the edge of the drainage and nearly fell into it.

“The teenage lady quickly jumped off the motorcycle, but while attempting to cross the drainage on foot, she slipped and fell into the water with the child on her back. They were instantly swept away by the flood,” he said.

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The witness further narrated that another man who rushed to the scene and dived into the water in an attempt to rescue the victims was also swept away.

“He was a resident of Gidan Dangoma in Tudun Jukun, Zaria, and his remains were laid to rest this morning in accordance with Islamic rites,” he said.

Mallam Musa Umar Al-Mishawi, the imam who led the funeral prayer for Yusuf Surajo at Kwarin Dangoma, Tudun Jukun, Zaria, confirmed that the young man sustained an injury in the forehead after hitting an iron rod in the water.

The Tudun Jukun area of Zaria is generally a lowland stretching from Tukur Tukur to Tudun Jukun, and from Magume to Kwarin Dangoma, all lying close to the popular Kubanni River, which has a long history of swallowing unsuspecting victims.

Some residents, however, attributed the latest incident to the heavy downpour that submerged the drainage system along the newly constructed Gaskiya main road.

They explained that while the drainage from Barewa Junction to Gaskiya Corporation was properly covered with concrete slabs, the section extending from there down to the Kamacha River Bridge was left open. It was at this exposed section that the tragedy occurred, Daily Trust gathered.

According to residents, if the drainage in that portion had also been covered, the incident may have been averted.

In another incident, a student, Zainab Abdulkadir, was also swept away by floodwaters while returning home from an Islamiyya school in Zaria on Monday.

The incident occurred in Tudun Jukun, along the new road linking GRA Sabon Gari.

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Mallam Aliyu Shehu, who witnessed the incident, said: “We were taking refuge by a shop due to the heavy downpour when we saw a small girl being carried away by the water.

“We rushed out to rescue her, but the speed of the flood prevented us from reaching her. So, we raised an alarm for expert swimmers to come to her aid.

“Despite the efforts of those swimmers, the young girl could not be rescued,” he said.

The girl, whose age could not be immediately confirmed, was said to have slipped into a large drainage channel flowing into the popular Kubanni River. As of the time of filing this report on Tuesday, she was still missing. This is not the first time people have been swept away by floodwaters in Zaria.

A 16-year-old girl also lost her life in Zaria last month after being swept away by flood while rushing home to check her SSCE results, which her friends had told her were excellent.

The deceased, Praise Malachi, was a final-year student of Government Day Secondary School, Samaru, Zaria, who had also secured a scholarship from the Centre for Girls’ Education, Zaria, based on her academic performance.

In an interview, the father of the deceased, Emmanuel Malachi, said: “It was around 6pm after rainfall when my daughter’s friends came to my shop and informed her that her SSCE result was out and that she performed excellently.

“After hearing the good news, Praise rushed home to check the result on her phone. But while crossing a small river caused by severe erosion, she slipped, fell into the water, and was swept away by the flood.

“Her body was recovered the following day, far away in Hunkuyi, Kudan Local Government Area,” he said.

Neighbours of the deceased, Danladi Mudi and Emma Yashi, noted that the flooding in the area had been worsened by erosion, which makes it prone to water accumulation during rainfall.

“Praise was not the only child who died in that river; several other lives have been lost there due to erosion and flooding in the past,” they said.

Also in August, a mother and three children died in a building collapse after a heavy downpour in Zaria.

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The victims, identified as Mallama Habiba Nuhu, two of her children, and a grandson, lost their lives at Karauka, Limancin Kona area of Zaria city.

Habiba’s husband, Nuhu Dogara, who narrated the ordeal, said he had earlier relocated his family to his own room after noticing cracks in his wife’s room. However, the room he thought was safer, collapsed, killing his wife, two children, and a grandson.

Dogara said seven people were in the room at the time, confirming that four died while three others, including himself, survived with injuries.

The latest Zaria flood incident happened a few days after the Federal Ministry of Environment warned that heavy rains may cause flooding in 14 states between September 4 and 8, 2025.

The ministry said the states and their environs likely to experience heavy rainfall that may result in flooding include: Ebonyi (Afikpo), Cross River (Edor, Ikom, Itigidi, Akpap), Kano (Gwarzo, Karaye), Zamfara (Anka, Gummi, Kaura Namoda, Maradun, Shinkafi, Bukuyum), Taraba (Dampar, Duchi, Garkowa, Gassol, Gembu, Gun Gun Bodel, Kambari, Mayo Ranewo, Mutum Biyu, Bandawa, Ngaruwa), Abia (Eziama, Umuahia) and Yobe (Geidam, Kanamma, Potiskum).

Others are Plateau (Langtang, Shendam, Wase), Borno (Ngala), Imo (Okigwe, Otoko), Niger (Sarki Pawa), Sokoto (Sokoto, Wamakko, Isa, Shagari, Makira), Kaduna (Kafanchan), and Akwa Ibom (Oron).

Flood sweeps away two sisters, others in Zaria