A 16-year-old girl, Praise Malachi, has tragically lost her life after being swept away by floodwaters while hurrying home to check her Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) results.
Praise, a final-year student of Government Day Secondary School, Samaru, Zaria, was said to have rushed off after her friends informed her that the results had been released and that she had performed exceptionally well.
She had earlier secured a scholarship from the Centre for Girls Education, Zaria, in recognition of her academic excellence.
Her father, Emmanuel Malachi, recounted the heartbreaking incident:
“It was around 6pm after a rainfall. Her friends came to my shop to tell her the results were out and she did very well. She rushed home to check them on her phone. But while crossing a small river caused by erosion, she slipped and got carried away by the flood.”
Praise’s body was discovered the following day, several kilometers away in Hunkuyi, Kudan Local Government Area.
Neighbours, Danladi Mudi and Emma Yashi, described the worsening environmental challenges in the area, citing severe erosion and the absence of proper drainage infrastructure as key contributors to frequent flooding.
“She wasn’t the first to die in such a tragic way,” said Yashi.
“This flooding has claimed multiple lives over the years.”
The Director of the Centre for Girls Education, Habiba Mohammed, described Praise as one of the centre’s brightest beneficiaries.
“She was a brilliant, well-behaved young girl,” Mohammed said. “We are deeply saddened by this loss. It’s painful to see such potential cut short.”
She called on authorities to urgently address the environmental hazards in the area by tackling the erosion and constructing a bridge to prevent further loss of life.
Flooding has been a persistent issue in Zaria, with the Chikaji area particularly affected.
On August 27, 2024, over 200 homes were damaged, including LEA Primary School and parts of Hayin Ojo Cemetery.
Residents continue to appeal to the government and well-meaning individuals for intervention to prevent further tragedies.
