By Imisioluwa Afunmiso
No fewer than 40 persons are feared dead after a canoe conveying women and primary school children capsized in Ringim Local Government Area of Jigawa State on Monday.
The Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) confirmed the incident, describing it as one of the deadliest boat mishaps recorded in the state in recent times.
Director of Planning at the agency, Muhammad Bala Sanusi, said emergency responders had launched a coordinated search and rescue operation involving local divers, community volunteers and security agencies.
He disclosed that efforts were ongoing to recover victims from the water, adding that the agency would provide further updates as rescue operations progress.
The Police also confirmed the tragedy, stating that one body had so far been recovered, while rescue teams continued the search for other passengers believed to have drowned.
The victims were reportedly returning home after school when the canoe overturned. Authorities, however, said the exact cause of the accident had yet to be determined, noting that investigations had commenced.
The latest incident has renewed concerns over the safety of water transportation in riverine communities, where boats remain the primary means of movement despite recurring fatal accidents.
Boat mishaps have claimed hundreds of lives across the country in recent years, with many linked to overloading, poor maintenance of vessels, non-compliance with safety regulations and the absence of life jackets.
As rescue efforts continued on Monday, residents of the affected community gathered along the riverbank awaiting news of their missing relatives, while officials warned that the death toll could rise as more bodies are recovered.
The Jigawa State Government is expected to issue a comprehensive statement on the tragedy after the conclusion of the ongoing rescue operation.