By Maryam Shuaibu
Eight people have been confirmed dead, while 23 others were rescued after a boat carrying 40 passengers capsized in Ringim Local Government Area of Jigawa State, with rescue teams continuing efforts to locate nine people still missing.
The incident occurred at about 4:30 p.m. on Sunday at Malamawar-Yan Dutse, where the locally made boat, conveying mostly female farmers and labourers, overturned while crossing a waterway.
The latest casualty figures were confirmed on Monday by the spokesperson of the Jigawa State Police Command, Shi’isu Adam, who said search and rescue operations remained underway.
“At the moment, we have successfully rescued 23 victims alive. Unfortunately, we have also recovered eight corpses from the river,” he said.
According to him, local divers, emergency responders and security personnel have been working around the clock since the incident to rescue survivors and recover those still missing.
He added that all the rescued passengers received medical attention and had been discharged to reunite with their families.
“The victims comprise men, women and children. We are glad that 23 lives were saved, and they are now safely in their homes,” he said.
Search enters second day
The police said nine passengers remain unaccounted for, with rescue teams expected to resume intensive search operations.
“We are not relenting. Our teams are combing the river and adjoining communities to ensure we find the remaining nine missing persons,” Adam said.
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He appealed to residents of surrounding riverine communities to provide useful information that could assist ongoing rescue efforts.
The police also renewed calls for stricter compliance with water transport safety measures, urging boat operators to avoid overloading and ensure passengers wear life jackets before embarking on journeys.
Recurring safety concerns
Boat accidents have become a recurring concern across Nigeria’s inland waterways, particularly during the rainy season, when rising water levels and stronger currents increase the risk of mishaps.
Safety experts have repeatedly attributed many of the incidents to overloading, the absence of life jackets and poor enforcement of inland water transport regulations.
The Jigawa State Police Command said it would continue to provide updates as rescue operations progress and more information becomes available.