At least, 28 passengers were feared dead on Wednesday when a boat with 34 passengers on board capsized in Magana village, Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
It was learnt that the boat was transporting locals from neighbouring villages to major towns for their daily activities when the tragedy struck.
The head of Gidan-Magana village, Mohammed Auwalu, said that the boat left the village with 34 people on board but 28 of them died when it capsized.
“It happened on Wednesday morning when the boat was trying to cross over to nearby Badiyawa village. The boat hit a tree inside the water and it capsized with all the passengers on the boat. Six were, however, rescued.
“The victims have since been buried according to Muslim rites. The remaining six survivors have been conveyed to the General Hospital in Shagari where they are currently receiving treatment.”
Also confirming the accident, the Director-General of Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency, Nasiru Ahamed, said that they received the report of the boat accident in Shagari Local Government and the agency joined forces with Federal Emergency Management Agency to visit the area and ascertain the situation.
The Secretary to Shagari Local Government Area, Mas’oud Shagari, said that over 26 bodies were recovered from the river while the search for others continued.
