Jigawa canoe mishap: Death toll rises to seven

By Adeleye Kunle

The death toll in canoe mishap in Dabi community of Ringim Local Government Area of Jigawa State has risen to seven.

The incident occurred on Sunday, September 11, when a canoe conveying 13 passengers on their way to a condolence visit, capsized after hitting an object.

The police, upon receipt of the report, launched a search and rescue mission at the scene with the assistance of local divers in the area.

Seven persons were recovered on the spot and rushed to General Hospital, Ringim for medical attention.

Two of them identified as Bara’atu Garba, 30, and Mahmud Surajo, 3, were certified dead by a medical doctor on duty.

The remaining five people were admitted at the hospital, while the other six victims remained missing.

The spokesperson of the command, DSP Lawan Shiisu, who confirmed the development in a statement in Dutse on Monday, said five more bodies were recovered which brought the number of people that died in the incident to seven.

“Among the six persons missing in yesterday’s canoe mishap in Ringim LGA, report shows that five more corpses were recovered while one person is still missing. So far seven people lost their lives in the incident,” the spokesperson said.

Shiisu added that efforts to recover the remaining person were being intensified.