The Jigawa State Government has confirmed that six people lost their lives after a canoe carrying dozens of passengers capsized in Ringim Local Government Area, while 23 others were rescued alive.
The tragic incident occurred around 1 p.m. on Sunday as the canoe, reportedly carrying between 30 and 40 passengers, attempted to cross a river in the Malamawar Yandutse community.
Speaking during a condolence visit to the affected community, the Commissioner for Special Duties and Humanitarian Affairs, Auwalu Danladi Sankara, said rescue teams had recovered six bodies and successfully rescued 23 passengers.
He added that search and rescue operations remain underway to locate those still missing. According to the commissioner, the recovered victims will be buried in line with Islamic rites.
DailyInsightNG reports that residents attributed the accident to overloading, alleging that the canoe was carrying more passengers than it could safely accommodate.
A community representative, Aminu Kafinta, said residents had warned those boarding the canoe that it was unsafe to carry so many people.
“We saw them boarding the canoe and warned them that it could not carry all of them. We advised them to reduce the number of passengers, but unfortunately they did not listen, and the canoe capsized almost immediately,” he said.
Kafinta urged the state government to address the recurring incidents by constructing a bridge across the river, noting that fatal canoe accidents have become a frequent occurrence in the area.
The latest tragedy has once again highlighted concerns over water transportation safety in riverine communities, where residents often depend on overloaded boats and canoes due to the absence of alternative crossing points. Authorities are expected to continue rescue efforts while investigations into the incident proceed.