Another canoe mishap claims two in Kebbi

Another canoe mishap has claimed two lives in Yauri Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

This is coming two days after 22 passengers died when their canoe capsized in the area.

The Chairman of the local council, Musa Mohammad, confirmed the latest incident to the News Agency of Nigeria in a telephone interview on Friday.

According to Mohammed, the canoe left Binua village conveying 11 people to a market in the area when it capsized.

Mohammed said: “The village is close to the market.

“They were going to trade in Yauri when the wave accompanied by strong wind forced the canoe to capsize.

“Two persons, a Fulani woman and an elderly person, were feared drowned in the river.”

Mohammed, however, said the rest of the passengers were rescued after the small canoe capsized.

The chairman blamed the incident on the driver’s refusal to heed the warning issued by officials of the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority not to embark on the journey.

He said: “He was warned by the officials not to embark on the journey because of the unfavourable weather condition, but refused to heed to the advice.”

The Acting Executive Director, Kebbi State Emergency Management Agency, Abbas Kamba, also confirmed the incident.

NAN recalls that 18 passengers travelling from Jeribago village in Kebbi to Tuteku village in Niger State died on Wednesday when their wooding boat collided with a tree trunk.