Two young brothers, Muhammad Salisu, 12, and Abdurrahman Salisu, 7, were swept away and killed by floodwaters in Janbago, a community in Katsina Local Government Area, Katsina State, while returning home from Islamiyya school during a heavy rainstorm.
The incident occurred on July 22, 2026, when a sudden downpour accompanied by strong winds caused streets to flood rapidly. The boys were part of a group of children heading home when the waters overwhelmed them. Residents launched a frantic search after the boys went missing, and their bodies were eventually found at separate locations, according to Daily Trust.
Father Mourns the Loss of Two Sons
The children's father, Malam Salisu Arabi, expressed profound grief. “They left home that day like every other child going to Islamiyya school. I never imagined that the same rain we all witnessed would take away my two children. I have lost two sons in a single day. No father should ever have to endure this kind of pain. I pray that Allah grants them Aljannatul Firdaus, and I appeal to the government to help us so that another family will not suffer what we are passing through,” he said.
The children's mother, speaking through tears as relatives offered support, said the boys had been her source of joy. “They were my children, my happiness and my hope. Today they are gone because of this flood. My heart is broken. I am pleading with the government to address this problem. I don't want any other mother to bury her children because of flooding,” she pleaded.
Community Blames Neglect and Poor Drainage
Residents of Janbago described the deaths as preventable, pointing to years of inadequate drainage infrastructure as the root cause. A community elder explained that stormwater from several parts of Katsina converges on Janbago during heavy rainfall, causing severe erosion, damaged roads, and dangerous flooding each rainy season. He said residents had repeatedly approached government authorities and relevant agencies for intervention, with little result.
Malam Tajuddeen, Chairman of the Janbago Community Development Association, said the flooding problem had persisted for more than a decade. He added that the community had submitted letters to government authorities over the years without receiving a lasting solution, and directly appealed to Katsina State Governor Dikko Umaru Radda.
Residents are calling on the Katsina State Government to urgently construct effective drainage channels and implement flood-control projects ahead of the remainder of the rainy season.
Broader Flood Crisis in Nigeria
The tragedy in Katsina comes amid widespread flooding across Nigeria. Earlier, heavy rainfall submerged homes and major roads in several Lagos communities, forcing residents to wade through floodwaters while motorists struggled to move around the city. Floodwaters affected facilities at the Oworo 132/33kV Transmission Station, leading to electricity outages in several neighbourhoods served by Ikeja Electric. The Lagos State Government approved the dredging of 28 additional primary drainage channels as part of efforts to improve flood control and reduce the impact of future downpours.
Authorities have also warned of flooding in 17 states. The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) issued National Flood Advisory No. NFA-2026-200, warning of medium flood risk across 17 states from July 21 to 27, 2026. The agency explained that 16 gauging stations across the country have already exceeded watch and warning thresholds. The NIHSA Director General urged state governments and residents on floodplains to begin immediate evacuation without delay.
