No fewer than 30 people are feared to have died after a canoe carrying dozens of passengers capsized in Ringim Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
The tragic incident occurred on Sunday evening at Malamawar Yandutse village, according to an eyewitness who spoke with The Leader Nigeria.
The source said the canoe was transporting about 40 passengers, most of them women and children, when it overturned, throwing everyone into the water.
Rescue teams are still searching the area for survivors and additional victims. Families of those involved have also been asked to help identify recovered bodies so they can be buried.
Confirming the incident, the Director of Planning at the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Muhammad Bala Sanusi, said rescue operations were ongoing, and the exact number of casualties and survivors had yet to be confirmed.
According to the SEMA official, the exact cause of the accident has yet to be established. He said officials of the agency are still working alongside local residents to locate survivors and account for all passengers.
He added that the number of casualties could not be confirmed, as rescue operations were still in progress at the time this report was filed.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Emergency Management Committee, Malam Habibu Dauda, confirmed the incident, appealing to the public to remain calm and refrain from spreading unverified information until the relevant authorities release an official statement.
Details later…
