Kaduna Community Demands Action One Year After Drowning Tragedy

One year after six students drowned crossing the Ribang River in Kaduna State, the Ribang community is urgently demanding the government fulfill longstanding promises to build a bridge, improve infrastructure, and provide essential services to prevent future tragedies.

One year after six schoolchildren drowned while crossing the Ribang River on their way home from Junior WAEC exams, residents of Ribang (Mbang) in Kauru Local Government Area, Kaduna State, are expressing renewed frustration over government inaction.

In a statement released on Monday, the community marked the tragic anniversary with a call for urgent intervention. The children were swept away by floodwaters due to the absence of a bridge and safe transport routes.

Simon Chinge, the National Public Relations Officer for the Ribang community, said the tragedy exposed a deeper crisis.

“This heartbreaking event didn’t just rob us of our children—it exposed decades of neglect and infrastructural failure,” Chinge said.

In the aftermath, several political leaders visited the community and pledged to build a bridge, improve road access, and provide basic facilities like schools and a healthcare centre. However, a year later, none of these promises have materialized.

Earlier this month, engineers from the Kaduna State Ministry of Works surveyed the area, reportedly acting on the directive of Governor Uba Sani. The community welcomed the move, though cautiously.

“It’s long overdue, but we see it as a first step. We thank the governor for responding,” Chinge noted.

As the rainy season returns, residents fear a repeat of the disaster. They are calling on Senator Sunday Marshall Katung, House of Representatives member Murtar Chawai, state legislator Barnabas Maigona, and Kauru LGA chairman Bashir Tanko Dawaki to take decisive action.

The community’s demands include a durable bridge over the Ribang River, accessible roads, functioning schools, and a properly equipped health centre. They warn that the lack of healthcare continues to endanger pregnant women and children, while the absence of schools threatens the future of their youth.

“We won’t forget the six children we lost. They were more than students—they were our future. Their deaths must not be in vain,” the statement concluded.

“We need solutions, not sympathy. No Nigerian community should be forgotten.”

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SOURCES: ALLSCHOOL, PUNCH