Over 40 feared dead after boat carrying women, children capsizes in Jigawa

Over 40 females and children are presumed to be dead following the capsizing of a passenger boat in Ringim Local Government of Jigawa State.

According to the Jigawa State Police Command, the unfortunate occurrence took place on Monday, and search and rescue mission was going on to recover the bodies of those missing.

In its statement published on its official Facebook page, the police command stated that a body had been recovered and search mission for the rest is ongoing.

“One of the bodies was recovered. Efforts to recover the 39 are underway,” the police said.

The Director of Planning at the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Muhammad Sanusi, also confirmed the incident, saying the victims were mostly female farmers and agricultural workers who were travelling in a canoe when the accident occurred.

Sanusi said the exact cause of the boat mishap had not been established, adding that emergency officials, local divers and community members were involved in the search for possible survivors and victims.

He explained that authorities were still working to determine the actual number of people on board and the number of casualties recorded.

“Hands are on deck as combined efforts continue to determine the exact number of those rescued or missing,” he said.

The incident adds to concerns over recurring boat accidents in parts of northern Nigeria, where many rural communities depend on waterways as a major means of transportation. Demographics

Such accidents have often been linked to factors including overloading, poor maintenance of vessels and inadequate use of safety equipment such as life jackets.

Authorities are expected to provide further updates as rescue operations continue.