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The Jigawa State Police Command has confirmed the recovery of one body, while 39 others remain missing following a boat mishap at Malamawar Yan Dutse community in Ringim Local Government Area of the state.
The Command said the incident occurred at about 4:30 p.m. on Sunday when a local boat conveying more than 40 passengers, mostly female farmers and labourers, capsized while in transit, leaving many trapped in the water.
Boat accidents have remained a recurring tragedy in parts of northern Nigeria, particularly during the rainy season, often attributed to overloading, the non-use of life jackets and strong water currents.
The incident has thrown the Malamawar Yan Dutse riverine community into mourning as families anxiously await news about the fate of their loved ones.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Jigawa State Command, SP Shi’isu Adam, said the police received a report of the capsize and immediately deployed officers and other relevant agencies to the scene.
Speaking with PUNCH Online via telephone on Monday, Adam said one body had been recovered, while search and rescue operations were ongoing.
He stated that efforts were continuing to locate the remaining 39 passengers who were still unaccounted for.
According to him, the Command is working with other emergency agencies to thoroughly search the area, assuring that further details would be made public in due course.
Also confirming the incident, the Director of Planning at the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency said the victims were mostly female farmers and labourers travelling to their farms when the boat capsized.
He said the exact cause of the accident had yet to be established, adding that an assessment was still ongoing.
He said, “Hands are on deck as combined efforts continue to determine the exact number of those rescued or missing,” adding that casualty figures could not be confirmed yet as operations continued.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Ringim Local Government Emergency Management Committee, Habibu Dauda, said local divers and residents had joined emergency responders in the search operation.
Habibu urged residents to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information, assuring that an official update would be issued once rescue operations yield clearer information.
