The Bauchi State Police Command says eighteen people, comprising three male and 14 female, died on Thursday as a canoe carrying 23 people from Zango Majiya to the farm capsized on River Buji in Itas Gadau Local Government Area of the state.
The Command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Bauchi.
Wakil, however, said that five of the passengers were rescued alive, adding that the driver and a female passenger were rescued unconscious.
According to the police spokesman, “On 12th November, 2020 at about 11am, one Ali Adamu, Village Head of Majiya came to Itas-Gadau Police Station and reported that, on same date at about 10.30am, one Nuhu Kaila, male of Zango Majiya village, carried about 23 persons in a canoe, from Zango Majiya to the farm.
“On reaching the middle of River Buji, the canoe capsized and as a result, the following persons: Abdulraham Shehu, Male (20); Suwaiba Yusuf, female (12); Saude Abdulkarim, female (14); Fatima Maigari, female (10); Zuwaira Maigari, female (10); Hari Maigari, female (9); Hussaina Maigari, female (8); Ummani Abdulkarim, female (15); Halima Saminu, female (15) of Gidan Ganji village.
“Others are Najaatu Hamza, (15); Nura Abdullahi, Male (25); Yahuza Abdullahi, (12); Hafsa Abdullahi, female (11) of Majiya village, Sadiya Hashimu, (10); Khadija Alhassan, (15) of Gwarai village; Amina Idris, (15); Kaltime Hudu, female (14); Furaira Malam Magaji, female (14) of Zangon Majiya village were drowned in the river and died at the spot.
“The canoe driver and one Aisha Adamu, female (16), Umaru Adamu, male (30) were rescued unconscious.
“The corpses were removed from the river and taken to the General Hospital Itas, for postmortem examination.
“A medical doctor certified 18 persons dead, while 5 persons were rescued,” Wakil stated.
