From Tunde Omolehin, Sokoto
No fewer than twenty-nine have died in a boat capsize in Shagari River of Shagari local government Council of Sokoto state.
The incident occurred Tuesday evening, the chairman of the local government council, Aliyu Dantani told our correspondent in a telephone conversation on Wednesday.
According to him, although the total number of passengers in the boat was yet known, 29 corpses of the drowned persons, including five children had so far been recovered.
He added that officials of the local government and members of the communities were dispersed in search of the missing persons as well as rescue of others.
“We have recovered 29 people so far. 23 of them are females while six are males. They are all young people. At this moment we are talking, they have been lined up for burial.
“We have also despatched local drivers within the community to search for possible bodies of some other people who may have died. They will also rescue other people,” Dantani said.
Meanwhile, Wamakko former governor of the state, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko has condoled with families of the victims describing the incident as shock.
In a statement signed by his
Special Assistant,
Media and Publicity, Hassan Sahabi Sanyinnawal prayed Allah to grant the deceased Aljannat Firdaus, as well as give their families the formidable fortitude to bear the irreplaceable losses.