At least 15 villagers have reportedly lost their lives after their boat capsized on the waterway along Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Our reporter gathered that the incident occurred Tuesday evening when the victims were going to a neigbouring village to attend Moulud Nabiy celebration, in commemoration of Prophet Muhammad’s birthday.
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The Chairman of the local government council, Aliyu Abubakar Dantani, who confirmed the incident said, the victims came from different villages.
He said, “They were 25 onboard when the boat capsized but 10 of them were rescued alive. They came from four different villages, converged on one of the villages and from there they entered the canoe.
“They were on their way to another village for the annual Moulud festival but the boat capsized before they reached their destination.
“Fifteen persons drowned but their bodies were later recovered and buried according to the Islamic rites.”
According to Dantani, four of the victims were from Gidan Raket village, three from Gidan Dawa, seven from Sabon Garin Sullubawa and one girl from Tsohon Garin Sullubawa.
On the promise made by Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal in 2021 to provide life jackets in the reverine villages around the local government, the chairman said that “it is still on course.”
Shagari local government area has been experiencing boat accidents for some years. Recall that in 2021, a boat ferrying wedding guests capsized, killing 13 persons who were mostly women and children at Ginga village.
In April this year, 29 teenagers including a bride-to-be were killed in boat accident in the nearby village of Gidan Magana.
