Heavy overnight rains on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, triggered sudden flash flooding in the Tunga community of Minna, Niger State, tragically claiming the lives of two children—a nine-year-old girl and a young boy.
The siblings had ventured to the local market to buy soup ingredients when a brief lull in the downpour convinced them it was safe to leave their home.
According to Punch Online, the girl, the only daughter among three children, carried an umbrella as she and her 11-year-old brother set off two kilometres from their residence. Though the rain had paused, storm clouds lingered.
As they returned later that morning, the skies unleashed torrents that filled open drains and flooded streets within minutes. Witnesses report the girl slipped into a drainage channel and was swept away by the powerful current .
Residents heard the boy’s frantic cries for help as he chased after his sister, but the flood’s force made rescue impossible. He raced back home to alert their parents, who immediately mobilized neighbours, only to find the storm had subsided.
It was not until later that authorities discovered two bodies—a girl and an unrelated young boy—five kilometres downstream in a drainage tunnel on Mandela Street. The girl’s father, contacted to identify his daughter, was stunned to learn another child had also perished.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) spokesman, Hussaine Ibrahim, expressed profound shock and pledged agency support. “We were unaware of this incident, but our team will visit the family in Tunga tomorrow to assess their needs and provide assistance,” he said.
Community leaders and safety advocates are now calling for improved flood-warning systems, proper drainage maintenance, and public education on weather risks.
Minna’s seasonal rains have long tested the municipality’s infrastructure, but the speed and severity of this deluge underscore critical gaps in emergency response.
As grieving families seek closure, authorities face mounting pressure to bolster early-warning alerts, clear clogged drains, and mobilize rescue resources before the next downpour.
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