No fewer than 16 persons have been confirmed dead following a boat mishap in Guri Local Government Area of Jigawa State, the police have said.
Ut was that the incident occurred at about 1:00 a.m. on Saturday when a canoe conveying about 40 passengers capsized while en route to Nguru in Yobe State.
According to the sources, the canoe departed Adiyani village in Guri LGA after the close of market activities before the accident occurred along the river.
“Sixteen people were confirmed dead, while 18 others were rescued alive and are currently receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Nguru, Yobe State,” the statement said.
Police sources said that divers were still searching for the remaining passengers believed to be missing as of the time of filing this report.
The police attributed the incident to possible overloading and urged residents, especially riverine communities, to adhere strictly to safety regulations while travelling by water.
Police called on boat operators to ensure the use of life jackets and avoid night journeys to prevent similar tragedies.
Credit : Zagazola Makama (x)
