A search-and-rescue operation is underway in Jigawa State after a boat carrying more than 40 passengers, mostly female farmers and labourers, capsized in Ringim Local Government Area, leaving one person dead and 39 others missing.
The tragic incident occurred on Sunday evening at about 4:30 p.m. in the Malamawar Yan Dutse community when the local boat overturned while transporting the passengers across the river to their farms. The accident has thrown the riverine community into mourning as families await news of their loved ones.
Confirming the incident, the Jigawa State Police Command said one body had been recovered, while combined teams of security personnel, emergency responders, local divers and residents were continuing efforts to locate the remaining passengers.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Shi’isu Adam, said officers were deployed to the scene immediately after receiving reports of the mishap, adding that rescue operations were still ongoing.
Officials of the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) also confirmed that the victims were predominantly female farmers and labourers travelling to their farmlands. They noted that the exact cause of the accident had yet to be determined as investigations and rescue efforts continued.
The Chairman of the Ringim Local Government Emergency Management Committee, Habibu Dauda, appealed to residents to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information, assuring that authorities would provide updates as rescue operations progress.
