Every year during the rainy season in Maiduguri in Borno State northeast, Nigeria, many children are drowned while swimming in the rivers.

This happens even among the people settling in the riverine communities, often due to lack of parental supervision.

Ya Fana Ali is mother of seven, who told our reporter that the situation worsens these days, adding that, just yesterday an eleven year old boy was drowned and killed.

She urged parents, particularly mothers, to be vigilant and look after their children as they are so vulnerable.

Abba Abatcha is a ferryman who has voluntarily engaged in rescue missions said the dead body of the child drowned yesterday is still missing.

Abba called on the government and all concerned authorities to invest in child protection.

Efforts made by our reporter to interact with the director of women affairs and social development, the Borno State ministry  responsible for child protection, proved abortive because the director was not in the office when our reporter visited.