Two children, aged 4 and 8, have drowned in the White Volta at Daboya in the Daboya Mankarigu District of the Northern Region.
The bodies of the deceased were retrieved on the evening of Tuesday by a search team made up of local residents, hours after they had gone missing in the river.
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Unfortunately, the bodies of the two boys can’t be given a decent burial because of a local tradition that prevents the bodies of people who die by drowning from departing the shores of the river.
Local reports say the kids went to the river side to wash their clothes and the smaller of the two, who was with a gallon, was attempting to fetch water but the force of the waves took his gallon from him.
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In an attempt to retrieve the gallon, therefore, his brother saw him drowning so he rushed into the river to safe him but both lost their lives in the process.
A 3rd brother who was also at the scene and saw his brother drowning, decided not to attempt any rescue and only resulted to wailing and a call for help that came a little too late.
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The District Chief Executive of Daboya Mankarigu, Hon. Eliasu Red Bawa, confirmed the incident to Adom News’ Iliasu Abdul Rauf.
He said the bodies of the deceased children have since been buried by the side of the river in accordance with a local custom which prevents such bodies from being taken to a cemetery and given a decent burial.