Swollen river sweeps away two young men in Kaduna community

Two youths have gone missing after they were swept away by a swollen river in Hayin Malam Bello community, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, following a heavy downpour.

The incident occurred on Saturday, July 18, 2026 as the victims attempted to cross the river on their way home from Kabala West, where they had gone before the rain.

Residents said the river, which had been passable earlier in the day, became dangerous after the downpour as water levels rose rapidly and the current stronger.

A resident told Daily Trust that people at the scene warned the youths against entering the river because of the rising water level, but they insisted they could cross. 

“Some people warned them not to enter the river because the water level had risen, but they insisted they could cross,” the resident said.

“Sadly, they were carried away by the water. We have been searching for them since then, but they have not been found.” 

The incident has thrown the community into mourning, with residents joining rescue teams in the search for the missing youths.

The community leader, Alhaji Ibrahim Fage, confirmed the incident and described it as tragic.

“It is very painful that two young men have been swept away by the river and are still missing. We pray that they will be found,” he said.

Fage urged residents, particularly young people, to avoid crossing rivers during the rainy season, warning that water levels can rise suddenly after heavy rainfall.

Meanwhile, search and rescue operations by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA) and the Kaduna State Fire Service are ongoing.

The Head of Operations, NEMA Kaduna Operations Office, Hajia Halima Daudu Sulaiman, said rescue teams had been searching for the missing persons for more than three hours.

She said the operation began at about 11:00 a.m. on Sunday and that the victims had not been found as of the time of filing this report.

Sulaiman added that rescue teams would remain at the scene and continue the search until the missing youths were located.