Tragedy struck in Durum village, Bauchi Local Government Area, on Tuesday afternoon as three teenage boys drowned while swimming in a river near a mining site.
The victims—Habibu Mohammed and Abubakar Mohammed, both 16, and 14-year-old Zalani Suleiman—had gone with a group of boys to scavenge for mineral deposits near Jinkiri village.
After the day’s mining, the trio reportedly separated from the group to swim in a nearby river, where they drowned.
Malam Yakubu Ahmad, the hamlet head of Jinkiri, said the boys were found unconscious in the water and rushed to the Specialist Hospital in Bauchi, where they were confirmed dead on arrival.
“They usually come here to mine and swim afterward,” Ahmad explained.
“This time, things went terribly wrong.”
Police operatives from the Bauchi State Command responded to a distress call, retrieved the bodies, and carried out an initial investigation. No signs of foul play were discovered, and authorities have ruled it an accidental drowning.
“There’s no indication of violence,” a police source said. “It appears the boys went swimming on their own and got into trouble.”
Swimming in rivers and dams is a common pastime for rural youths in Bauchi, especially during hot weather. However, the absence of safety precautions and supervision continues to pose significant dangers to local communities.
