Search and rescue operations remain active along the banks of the Dapchi River in Bursari Local Government Area, Yobe State, following a tragedy on Sunday afternoon that left one child missing and another successfully pulled to safety.
​The incident occurred around 2:30 PM on Sunday, October 4, when a group of local children was caught in fast-moving floodwaters while attempting to cross a swelling tributary of the Dapchi River. Heavy downpours over the preceding 48 hours had caused local water levels to rise sharply, creating swift and treacherous currents.
​Emergency services and local volunteers responded swiftly to the scene. By 3:45 PM on Sunday, rescue teams successfully extracted 14-year-old Usman Umar from the river. Umar was immediately transported to the General Hospital in Dapchi, where medical personnel treated him for exhaustion and minor bruises. Doctors have since confirmed he is in stable condition.
​However, a second child, identified as 9-year-old Ibrahim Mustapha, was swept downstream by the current and remains unaccounted for.
​Providing an update on the situation on Monday morning, the Executive Secretary of the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Dr. Mohammed Goje, confirmed that joint operations involving SEMA personnel, local divers, and community volunteers are ongoing along the river course.
​”Our teams were deployed to the location in Bursari Local Government Area immediately after receiving the emergency alert on Sunday,” Dr. Goje stated. “While we were able to rescue 14-year-old Usman Umar, the search for 9-year-old Ibrahim Mustapha continues unabated. We have expanded our search radius further downstream toward neighboring villages and are coordinating closely with local riverine communities to assist in the efforts.”
​Also speaking on the incident, the Spokesperson for the Yobe State Police Command, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, warned residents, particularly parents and guardians, to keep children away from flooded areas and riverbanks during the peak of the rainy season.
​”The command is working alongside SEMA and community leaders in Dapchi to ensure all necessary resources are deployed in the rescue effort,” DSP Abdulkarim said. “We strongly advise residents across Bursari LGA and surrounding communities to avoid river crossings during high water volume, as current weather conditions make these channels extremely dangerous.”
​Search operations along the Dapchi River remain active as teams work against time to locate the missing child.
