At least 30 people are feared dead after a canoe sank in Ringim Local Government Area of Jigawa State on Sunday evening. An eyewitness said the vessel, which carried roughly 40 passengers mostly comprised of women and children, went down at Malamawar Yandutse village.
Rescue teams were still searching for survivors as of the time of reporting. Families have been instructed to help identify bodies for burial purposes.
Muhammad Bala Sanusi, the director of planning at the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), confirmed the disaster. He told journalists that rescue efforts were underway but exact casualty figures remained unclear.
Sanusi said investigators had not yet pinpointed what caused the canoe to capsize. He noted that agency staff were working with local people to search for anyone still missing and to account for all those aboard.
The SEMA official stressed that final death tolls could not be released while rescue operations continued. He cautioned against drawing premature conclusions about the total number affected.
Malam Habibu Dauda, who chairs the Emergency Management Committee, also verified the incident. He urged residents to stay calm and avoid sharing unconfirmed details until authorities issue an official update.
