Kano boat mishap: Death toll hits 29, rescue ongoing

The death toll from the boat mishap which occurred in Kano on Tuesday has hit 29.

Twenty corpses, including those of pupils, were recovered on the day of the tragic incident.

When Daily Trust visited Bagwai, where the incident happened, Senior Fire Superintendent, Saminu Yusuf Abdullahi, confirmed that nine more corpses had been recovered.

The boat capsized while conveying passengers, who were mostly pupils of Madinatu Islamiyya School, from Badau village to Bagwai to participate in Maulud celebration marking the birth of Prophet Mohammed.

All rescued dead bodies have been buried, according to Islamic rites.

Daily Trust learnt that among the victims of the boat mishap are eight females, who came from Naibawa area of Kano metropolis for a visit.

Six out of the eight visitors have been found dead while two are yet to be seen.

Meanwhile, Kano state governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has described the incident as a state tragedy, praying for the souls of the victims to rest in peace and for the injured, a quick recovery.

The governor, in a condolence message signed by Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar, warned boat operators to avoid overloading.

“They should know that they can still get profit without overloading their boats,” he said.