The young woman who drowned in a river at Hayin Malam Bello community of Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State last Sunday was supposed to get married on November1, 2019. The woman, Farida Saminu, whose body is yet to be recovered was on her way to a henna designer alongside her younger brother and two friends when the incident occurred, it was gathered.

The incident occurred around 6:00 pm on Sunday. Daily Trust reported that the other passengers in the tricycle in which the woman were travelling, were rescued. It was gathered that a heavy rainfall caused flooding on the bridge, which made the tricycle to topple while trying to pass through.

Our correspondent who contacted the victim’s grandfather, Alhaji Hussaini Garba, who raised her right from childhood at his resident at Alkalawa road, Tudun Wada, Kaduna, said the whole thing was confusing, but the family “takes solace in Almighty Allah who gives life and takes at will”.

“I gave birth to her mother, but Farida grew up with me in this house, under my care. I paid her school fees right from primary to secondary up to the School of Nursing from where she graduated recently. She was to get married this Friday.

“I remember that she told me while leaving the house on that day of her plan to visit a local henna designer and she picked one of the small boys in the house, Kabiru, to accompany her. I was told that the tricycle operator tried to crossover the flooded bridge and they got stuck in the middle. Efforts to rescue her failed due to the force of the water,” he said.

He said their major concern now is to find her corpse.

Our correspondent also spoke with the groom-to-be, Mubarak Ibrahim, who said he was yet to believe that she is gone.

“I am yet to believe that Farida is gone because we were to get married this Friday. Since the news broke, I have been confused and don’t even know what to do,” he said.

He also added that it would be better if her corpse is found than for her to just go missing in the river without trace.

Daily Trust also gathered that a young man who repairs motorcycle by the bridge, Abdullahi, who went after the victim with the aim of rescuing her was yet to be found too.

His elder brother, Umar, told our correspondent that Abdullahi was among the people that rescued other passengers after which he went back into the river to rescue the woman. (Daily Trust)

•Text (excluding headline) courtesy of Daily Trust.

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