By Austine Agbo Emmanuel, Kaduna
One year after six students drowned in the Ribang River while returning from their Junior WAEC examinations, Ribang (Mbang) community in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State has expressed deep frustration over what it describes as government’s failure to act on promises made in the aftermath of the tragedy.
The victims: Manasseh Monday (16), Musa John (16), Pius David (15), Monday Ayuba (16), David Danlami (19), and Yahuza Audu (16) were swept away by strong currents while attempting to cross the river due to the absence of a bridge and proper road infrastructure.
Marking the one-year anniversary of the incident, the community, through its National Public Relations Officer, Mr. Simon Chinge, said the incident not only claimed young lives but also exposed the decades-long neglect suffered by Ribang residents.
“This devastating tragedy did not just rob us of promising children, it also laid bare the chronic lack of infrastructure and the seeming abandonment of our people by successive administrations,” Chinge said.
Following the incident in June 2024, several political leaders visited the community to console grieving families and made promises of urgent intervention with commitments to construct a bridge across the Ribang River, rehabilitation of roads, establishment of a healthcare centre, and improved school facilities.
However, Chinge lamented that one year later, none of those promises has been fulfilled.
He noted that in early June this year, officials from the Kaduna State Ministry of Works conducted a preliminary survey of the river and surrounding road network, reportedly on the directive of Governor Uba Sani.
“Though the visit was long overdue, we consider it a step in the right direction. We appreciate Governor Uba Sani for responding to the cries of our people, but we urge that it should be followed by swift and concrete action,” he stated.
As the rains return, the community has renewed its appeal to elected officials and relevant agencies to take immediate steps to avert another tragedy.
Specifically, the community called on Senator Sunday Marshall Katung (Southern Kaduna Senatorial District), Hon. Murtar Chawai (House of Representatives, Kauru Federal Constituency), Hon. Barnabas Maigona (Kaduna State House of Assembly, Kauru Constituency), and Hon. Bashir Tanko Dawaki (Chairman, Kauru LGA), to use their offices to push for intervention.
The community’s demands include the construction of a standard bridge across the Ribang River, the rehabilitation of roads, a fully equipped healthcare centre, and the provision of quality primary and secondary schools.
Residents warned that the lack of healthcare services continues to lead to preventable deaths, particularly among pregnant women and children, while the poor state of education threatens the future of their youth.
“We will never forget the six children we lost. They were not just students, they were the hope of our tomorrow. Their deaths should serve as a wake-up call to all levels of government,” the statement added.
While thanking those who showed solidarity over the past year, the community stressed that what is now needed is not sympathy but urgent action.
“No community should be left behind in a country that claims to stand for equity and progress,” Chinge added.
