BREAKING: Six teenagers drown in Kaduna river after Junior WAEC

Around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, six teens from Ribang (Mbang) village, Kauru Local Government Area, Kaduna State, drowned in the Mbang river after returning from a Junior WAEC exam.

The fatalities, who were pupils at Government Secondary School Fadan Chawai taking the West African Junior School Examination, were identified as Manasseh Monday (16 years old), Musa John (16 years old), Pius David (15 years old), Monday Ayuba (16 years old), David Danlami (19 years old), and Yahuza Audu (16 years old).

Three dead bodies have already been retrieved and buried amid tears, according to Pastor Simon Ishaku, the National Public Relations Officer of the Ribang Development Association, who verified the occurrence over the phone on Wednesday.

He clarified that the three missing people have not yet been found since the villagers have not been able to retrieve them from the river.

"While their parents went to the farm in the hopes of meeting up with them after writing their papers for the day, the school children left their homes full of excitement and hope, only to meet an unexpected end."Over the years, the Mbang River has proven to be a death trap for our people, requiring them to trek almost 8 km before reaching any schools or medical facilities.

As soon as possible, we are pleading with the federal government, governor Uba Sani, senator Sunday Katung, and members of our house of representatives to kindly help us with school, hospital access road and bridge in order to bring succour to our community,” Simon appealed.
As of the time this report was filed, ASP Mansir Hassan, the public relations officer for the Kaduna State Police, has not returned our correspondent's calls or texts.

Upon being reached, Mubarak Muhammad, the Zonal Coordinator of Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency Zone One, promised to verify the occurrence and get in touch with our correspondent.

As at the time of publishing, he still hadn't done so.