The body of a male hawker, believed to be about 12 years old, has been recovered from the Gamboru River in the Customs area of Maiduguri, Borno State capital.
Residents in the area told reporters on Tuesday that the boy’s lifeless body was spotted floating along the riverbank. The incident adds to a growing list of drowning cases in Maiduguri and other parts of Borno during the rainy season, when rivers and canals frequently overflow their banks.
Confirming the development, the Public Relations Officer of the Borno State Police Command, ASP Nahum Daso, said the police were alerted by community members around 2 p.m.
“We suspect that the boy was either a hawker or an Almajiri. He is likely to be about 12 years old,” Daso said. “His remains have been deposited in the mortuary, and efforts are ongoing to identify his parents.”
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The police spokesman urged parents and guardians to monitor their children closely, especially as the rains intensify. “Parents must keep an eye on their children and ensure that they do not go swimming in the rivers,” he cautioned.
The Gamboru River, which cuts through the Customs area of Maiduguri, is notorious for sudden flooding during heavy rains, often sweeping away unsuspecting individuals.
Authorities and humanitarian organisations have repeatedly expressed concern over the vulnerability of street children in the North-East, where years of insurgency have displaced thousands of families and left many minors fending for themselves.