Ibrahim Shuaibu
No fewer than 40 people, mostly women and children, were reported to have lost their lives in Badau village, Bagwai Local Government Area of Kano state following a boat mishap.
Eyewitness who confirmed the incident to THISDAY in Kano said the incident occurred yesterday around 6pm. He explained that the boat capsized in the middle of the river while conveying passengers to Bagwai town from Badau village.
“The passengers were travelling to Bagwai town to attend the annual Mulud festival. The boat capsized due to overload, killing over 40 passengers, mostly women and children. Scores of others sustained various degrees of injuries. Very few passengers survived the incident,” the eye witness said.
THISDAY gathered that the victims of the unfortunate incident died right inside the river because they could not swim to its bank and they were not wearing life jackets.
In 2007 several passengers also lost their lives in similar incidents in the local government.
THISDAY’s effort to contact the local government council chairman, Mr Inuwa Zangina failed.
However when contacted, the spokesman of the state Fire Service, Mr. Saminu Yusuf Abdullahi confirmed the incident.
He said so far 20 corpses have been retrieved while seven people have also been rescued alive as the rescue operation was still ongoing.
“More 49 persons were in the boat which was on its way to Bagwai town from Badau village when the incident happened”, he said.
