Responders rescued six bodies and 15 passengers following a canoe mishap in the Ringim Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
The state commissioner for special duties and humanitarian affairs, Auwalu Sankara, confirmed the incident during a condolence visit to the Malamawar Yandutse community, where the tragedy occurred.
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Mr Sankara stated that the accident occurred at approximately 1 p.m. on Sunday when a canoe carrying between 30 and 40 passengers capsized whilst crossing the river. According to him, whilst 23 passengers have been accounted for, search and rescue operations are underway to locate the remaining missing individuals.
Speaking on behalf of the community, Aminu Kafinta blamed the accident on overloading, noting that the number of passengers far exceeded the canoe’s safe capacity.
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“We saw them boarding the canoe and warned them that it could not carry everyone. We advised them to reduce the number of passengers, but unfortunately, they did not listen, and the canoe capsized shortly after taking off,” Mr Kafinta said.
Mr Kafinta appealed to the Jigawa State Government to find a lasting solution to the recurring water accidents in the area. He urged the government to construct a bridge across the river to ensure safe passage for residents and prevent future tragedies, noting that similar fatal incidents occur almost every year.
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