The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has reported yet another tragic boat accident occurring for the third time this month, this time at the Jaranja River in the Shagari local government area of Sokoto State.
Bala Bello, NIWA’s Area Manager in Sokoto, announced on Friday that two individuals lost their lives, while nine others were successfully rescued from the incident.
The accident, which took place on Friday afternoon, was attributed to negligence, overloading of the canoe, and violations of safety regulations.
A dedicated rescue team, composed of officials from NIWA, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the State Emergency Management Agency, and the Red Cross Society, has been dispatched to the site. They confirmed the death toll as search and rescue operations continue in an effort to find those still unaccounted for.
Bello emphasized that NIWA has been actively engaging with riverine communities to promote safety measures, proper use of life jackets, and adherence to guidelines concerning water navigation.
It is worth noting that on August 17, the Sokoto State Government reported a separate incident in which four passengers died, 41 were rescued, and five others were reported missing in a boat accident at Kojiyo Village in the Goronyo Local Government Area. A subsequent incident occurred on August 22 in the Faji Community of the Sabon Birni Local Government Area, marking this latest occurrence as the third boat accident this month.
At the scene, Tukur Abubakar, NEMA’s Head of Rescue and Rehabilitation, indicated that search and rescue efforts were still ongoing to locate those missing. A local resident, Abubakar Jabbi, confirmed that divers had rescued nine individuals and that one body had been recovered, while a female passenger’s body remains unretrieved from the river.
(NAN)
