A heartbreaking tragedy has struck the Tunga community in Minna, Niger State, where two children lost their lives after being swept away by floodwaters during a heavy rainstorm on Monday afternoon.

The victims—a nine-year-old girl and another unidentified young boy—were recovered from a drainage outlet several kilometers from where they were initially carried off by the rushing water. The incident followed hours of relentless rainfall that overwhelmed Minna’s old drainage systems, submerged roads, and brought the city’s activities to a halt.

According to residents, the young girl, the only daughter among three siblings, had been sent by her parents to the Tunga Market, about two kilometers away, to buy ingredients for soup. Her 11-year-old brother went along with her, hoping to beat the worsening weather.

However, just as they were returning, the rain intensified. Streets turned into fast-moving streams, and open drainages overflowed. It was during this chaos that the girl reportedly slipped and fell into one of the large drainage channels—a structure dating back to the Babangida era, built decades ago by Julius Berger.

Eyewitnesses said her slippers and shopping bag were later found at the edge of the channel. Her brother, in a state of panic, ran home to alert their parents after failing to get help from bystanders who were themselves helpless against the force of the flood.

Hours later, tragedy deepened. Along Mandela Road, over five kilometers away, a corpse matching the girl's description was found—and beside her was the body of another young boy who is believed to have been caught by the same flood.

When reached for comment, Hussaini Ibrahim, spokesperson for the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), expressed sadness and said the agency was not previously aware of the incident. “My people will visit the home of the girl at Tunga tomorrow to meet with the parents,” he told Channels Television.

This devastating event highlights the growing dangers of urban flooding in Niger State, especially as the rainy season deepens. It comes just weeks after a flood in Mokwa claimed over 150 lives and destroyed numerous homes.

Residents are now calling for urgent upgrades to drainage systems and stronger community awareness to prevent more families from suffering such painful losses