At least six people have been confirmed dead, while 15 others were rescued after a canoe carrying about 40 passengers capsized in Ringim Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
The incident occurred at about 4pm on Sunday in Malamawa village. Rescue teams are still searching for several passengers who remain missing.
Jigawa State Commissioner for Special Duties, Auwal Sankara, confirmed the incident, saying six bodies had been recovered and 15 survivors rescued.
> “We have so far recovered six bodies and rescued 15 persons alive. Search operations are still ongoing,” Sankara said.
He added that the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency had deployed personnel to the scene and vowed that the rescue mission would continue until everyone involved in the accident was accounted for.
“We will continue the rescue mission until every single person is found, dead or alive,” he stated.
Eyewitnesses alleged that the canoe was overloaded before it capsized, raising fresh concerns over adherence to water transport safety regulations in the area.
Authorities have yet to determine the exact number of passengers still missing as rescue efforts continue.
