No fewer than six people have been confirmed dead and 15 rescued, while several others remain missing after a canoe capsized in the Ringim Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
The incident occurred at about 4 pm in Malamawa village on Sunday.
The ill-fated canoe was reported to be conveying 40 passengers before it capsized.
Rescue efforts are ongoing, with officials of the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency deployed to the scene in search of survivors.
The Jigawa State Commissioner for Special Duties, Auwal Sankara, confirmed the development and said the government had intensified efforts to locate all victims.
“We have so far recovered six bodies and rescued 15 persons alive. Search operations are still ongoing,” he said.
Sankara added that emergency teams would not relent until all those involved in the accident were accounted for.
“We will continue the rescue mission until every single person is found, dead or alive,” he stated.
Eyewitnesses said the canoe was overloaded, raising concerns over safety compliance on local waterways.
However, authorities are yet to confirm the exact number of passengers still missing as rescue operations continue.