Tragic Flood Claims Life of 16-Year-Old Scholarship Student in Zaria
By Joseph Iyaji | Akahi News

A devastating flood in Samaru, Zaria, Kaduna State, has claimed the life of Miss Praise Malachi, a 16-year-old final-year student of Government Day Secondary School, who had been awarded a scholarship by the Centre for Girls Education, Zaria, for her outstanding academic performance.

According to her father, Emmanuel Malachi, the tragedy occurred around 6:00 pm following heavy rainfall. “It was around 6:00 pm after rainfall when my daughter’s friends came to my shop and informed her that her SSCE results were out and that she performed excellently well. After hearing the good news, Praise rushed home to check the results on her phone. While crossing the small river caused by severe erosion, she slipped and was taken away by the floodwater. Her lifeless body was recovered the following day in Hunkuyi, Kudan Local Government Area,” he recounted.

Neighbours Danladi Mudi and Emma Yashi described the area as highly prone to flooding due to severe erosion, lamenting that Praise was not the first child to lose her life in such incidents. “Several other lives have been claimed in the past,” Yashi added.

Habiba Mohammed, Director of the Centre for Girls Education, described the deceased as an exemplary student. She expressed condolences to the family and highlighted the need for urgent intervention. “We are all in grief over the sad story of her death. She was such a wonderful child who was never involved in any wanting behaviour. I appeal to relevant authorities to quickly intervene by addressing the erosion problem and constructing a bridge on the road to save lives,” Mohammed said.

Akahi News gathered that the scholarship awarded to Praise was in recognition of her brilliant performance in school, which had set her on a path to further academic achievements that will now remain unfulfilled.

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