Tragedy struck in Jinkiri Village, Tirwun, a suburb of Bauchi metropolis, on Wednesday, as three teenagers drowned in a river after engaging in mining activities.

The Bauchi State Police Command confirmed the incident in a statement released by its spokesperson, SP Ahmed Wakil, who identified the victims as Habibu Mohammed (16), Abubakar Mohammed (16), and Zailani Sule (14), all residents of Durum village.

According to Wakil, the incident occurred around 1:00 p.m. shortly after the boys had finished their mining work and entered the river to swim. Tragically, they were overwhelmed by the water and drowned.

“All efforts to rescue them proved unsuccessful. They were rushed to the hospital but were confirmed dead on arrival,” Wakil said.

The Command stated that preliminary investigations indicate the teenagers drowned during a recreational swim following their mining activities. Their bodies were later recovered and examined at the Bauchi State Specialist Hospital before being released to their families for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.

The Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and urged members of the public to exercise caution around water bodies, especially during the rainy season when river currents can be unpredictable and dangerous.

The incident recalls a similar tragedy in May, when four workers of the Gubi Water Treatment Company lost their lives in a drowning accident during a routine maintenance operation in the state.

Police say investigations into the latest incident are still ongoing.