The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has stepped up efforts to locate two men believed to have drowned after they were swept away by floodwaters in the Kaduna River following a heavy rainfall.
The operation is being carried out in collaboration with the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA) and the Kaduna State Fire Service.
The missing victims have been identified as 27-year-old Musa Musa Bawa, a 200-level student of the College of Nursing, Tudun Wada, Kaduna, and 25-year-old Abubakar Ibrahim Muhammad Likoro, an employee of Olam Flour Mills.
They were reportedly attempting to cross the swollen river on Saturday evening when the current carried them away.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Head of NEMA Operations Office in Kaduna, Hajiya Halima Suleiman, said the agency activated its emergency response team immediately after receiving a distress call.
Search and rescue operations began on Sunday morning at Hayin Mallam Bello community in Kaduna South Local Government Area, with personnel from NEMA, KADSEMA, the Kaduna State Fire Service, local divers and other emergency responders participating in the mission.
Suleiman said, “Upon receiving the distress call, we immediately mobilised personnel and activated the emergency response team to the scene.
Local divers and emergency responders have been searching the river since Sunday morning.
“Despite the coordinated efforts of all responding agencies, the two victims had yet to be found as of the time of this report. The search will continue until they are located.”
She assured residents that emergency agencies would sustain the operation until the missing persons were recovered.
“We remain committed to this operation. Together with our partners, we will continue the search until the victims are found,” she added.
Suleiman praised the commitment of emergency workers and local volunteers involved in the operation, describing their efforts as professional and resilient despite the difficult conditions.
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She also paid a condolence visit to the families of the missing men, encouraging them to remain hopeful as the search continued.
The NEMA official urged residents to avoid crossing flooded rivers, streams and drainage channels during the rainy season, warning that rising water levels have made such attempts extremely dangerous.
“The water level has risen significantly due to the persistent rains, making such crossings extremely dangerous.
We appeal to residents to prioritise their safety and promptly report emergencies to the appropriate authorities for immediate response,” she said.
Officials of KADSEMA and the Kaduna State Fire Service said additional divers and rescue equipment had been deployed to widen the search along the river.
Community leaders in Hayin Mallam Bello commended the prompt response by the emergency agencies and pledged to assist by providing local knowledge of the river and its surrounding areas.
By Monday, as the search entered its second day, relatives, friends and colleagues of the two missing men remained gathered along the riverbank, hoping for positive news.
The incident adds to the growing number of flood-related emergencies recorded during the rainy season, despite repeated warnings from emergency management agencies advising the public against attempting to cross flooded waterways because of the heightened risk posed by strong currents and flash floods.