DUTSE, Nigeria (BN24) — Four young girls have died and five others are missing after a boat carrying 17 passengers capsized in Jigawa State’s Taura Local Government Area, authorities said Tuesday.
The incident occurred around 5 p.m. on Sunday in Zangon Maje village, according to a statement by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The victims, mostly girls aged between 10 and 13, were traveling by canoe from Digawa village in Jahun LGA to Zangon Maje when the vessel overturned mid-journey.
“Preliminary reports confirmed that out of the 17 passengers onboard, seven were rescued alive, four dead bodies have been recovered, while five persons remain missing,” said NSCDC spokesperson ACSC Badruddeen Tijjani.
Of the 17 passengers, 16 were female—a detail that Tijjani noted underscores the “devastating impact of this incident on young lives.”
Rescue operations are ongoing, led by NSCDC personnel in collaboration with local divers and community volunteers. The cause of the accident has not yet been determined, and an investigation is underway to clarify the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
Tijjani said the agency is committed to ensuring safety across the state’s waterways and pledged that additional measures would be implemented to prevent similar accidents in the future.
NSCDC State Commandant Bala Bawa expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims and the communities of Digawa and Zangon Maje. He also praised the swift response of rescue teams and volunteers, adding that further updates would follow as the investigation and search efforts continue.
