The Yobe State Police Command has debunked a viral social media report claiming that a police officer, Isah Abubakar, died while rescuing a baby from floodwaters in Damaturu.
The command said the claim was false, explaining that Abubakar drowned after falling into a ditch while riding his bicycle to work following heavy rainfall.
According to a report by The PUNCH, the incident occurred on August 3, 2026, in Damaturu. The officer was reportedly attached to the Desert Intervention Squad, Haha Maza.
The clarification followed the circulation of an Instagram post claiming that a police officer identified as “Albani” had died after rescuing a baby who fell into floodwater.
However, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Yobe State Police Command, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, dismissed the report as fabricated.
Abdulkarim said the officer was on his way to the office in the morning when he encountered water that had accumulated along his route after heavy rain the previous night.
He explained that residents had warned Abubakar against passing through the flooded area because of a ditch along the route, but the officer proceeded and subsequently fell into the ditch and drowned.
The police spokesman questioned the circumstances presented in the viral account, stressing that there was no evidence that Abubakar was attempting to rescue a baby.
An internal police signal reportedly confirmed that Abubakar died at about 6:30 a.m. while on active service after drowning along the Malumatari–Gujba Road in Damaturu.
The command urged members of the public to disregard the viral narrative and verify information through official channels before sharing unconfirmed reports.
The incident comes amid concerns over the dangers posed by heavy rainfall, flooding and open drainage channels in parts of the state.
The police command also expressed concern over the spread of inaccurate information surrounding the officer’s death, urging the public and media organisations to exercise caution when reporting incidents based on social media posts.
