Ismail Alaba and his sibling, drowned in the Katcha River, Niger state, while returning from a shopping trip in the early hours of Thursday, April 10.
The pair had reportedly traveled to a nearby town to purchase bags of rice and were returning home when the boat they boarded capsized mid-river, plunging them into the fast-moving current. The river’s flow was believed to be unusually strong at the time of the incident.
Despite the quick response from locals who rushed to the scene, both brothers could not be rescued. Their bodies were later recovered by community volunteers after several hours of searching and brought back to Lapai, where news of the tragedy sparked an outpouring of grief.
Ismail Alaba was a well-known and beloved member of the community, operating a popular Point of Sale (POS) business at the Low-Cost Junction. He was widely described as cheerful, hardworking, and always ready to help others.
The family of the deceased brothers are said to be deeply heartbroken as they had only recently buried another son who died from injuries sustained during a football match.
