A devastating boat accident in Zamfara State has claimed four lives, marking the second tragic incident in the state within a week.
The accident occurred on Tuesday at Mashayar Garba Rogo in Bukkuyum town, Bukkuyum Local Government Area, where a boat carrying over 50 passengers overturned.
According to resident Muhammad Usman, the boat capsized, resulting in the drowning of four children. Two bodies have been recovered, while two others remain missing. Twelve survivors are currently receiving medical attention at Bukkuyum General Hospital.
Babangida Usman, one of the survivors, recounted that the boat was primarily carrying small children and a few adults attempting to cross the river to access their agricultural lands. He described how the boat began to behave erratically during the voyage, ultimately capsizing despite the captains’ efforts to regain control.
“We rescued 12 children and some adults, but sadly, four people died,” Babangida said. “We recovered two bodies, but the remaining two are still missing.”
Hon. Nasiru Muhammad, Sole Administrator of Bukkuyyum Local Government, attributed the incident to overloading, anxiety, and failure to adhere to boat safety guidelines.
“The government is providing care for the 12 rescued victims at Bukkuyum General Hospital,” Muhammad said. “Measures will be taken to prevent a recurrence of such incidents. Experts are currently searching the river for the two missing passengers.”
