A heart-wrenching tragedy struck Zaria, Kaduna State, as 16-year-old Praise Malachi, a final year student of Government Day Secondary School, Samaru, lost her life after being swept away by floodwaters. The incident occurred as she hurried home to check her Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) results which she had been told were excellent.
Praise, who had earned a scholarship from the Centre for Girls Education, Zaria, due to her outstanding academic performance, was reportedly overwhelmed with excitement upon hearing the news from friends. Her father, Emmanuel Malachi, recounted how the tragedy unfolded around 6:00 PM after a heavy rainfall.
“My daughter’s friends came to my shop to inform her that she had performed excellently in her SSCE results. Overjoyed, Praise rushed home to check her results on her phone. While crossing a small river swollen by erosion and flooding, she slipped and was swept away by the floodwaters,” he said.
Her body was tragically recovered the following day, far away in Hunkuyi, Kudan Local Government Area. Neighbours and community members lamented that Praise was not the only victim of the flooding and erosion that frequently plague the area.
Habiba Mohammed, Director of the Centre for Girls Education, expressed deep sorrow over the loss and highlighted Praise’s bright future. “She was one of the best students, known for her exemplary behavior and dedication,” Mohammed said. She appealed to authorities to urgently address the erosion and flooding problem by constructing bridges and other safety infrastructure to protect lives.
This tragedy calls attention to the urgent need for proactive measures to tackle environmental crises such as erosion and flooding issues that continue to endanger lives, particularly vulnerable children in the region.
The loss of Praise Malachi is a somber reminder of the intersection of natural disasters and infrastructural deficits, urging swift action to prevent further heartbreaking incidents.