The death toll in Tuesday’s unfortunate boat accident in Kano state has risen to 29 and victims, including children and women, are traveling to attend a religious event.
State Fire Service Director Hassan Ahmed, who confirmed the update, said the rescue team was still searching for 14 missing people.
Earlier, police spokesman DSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa revealed that of the 59 passengers, 29 were killed, eight were rescued alive, including four men and four women.
The director, who spoke to The Guardian through the organization’s PRO, Malam Saminu Abdullahi, said his men and some fishermen had joined the operation to rescue the survivors.
Meanwhile, the Kano state government has established a committee, headed by the Naval Command Commander, to investigate the unpleasant event.
In addition, the Information Commissioner, Mohammad Garba, while addressing journalists yesterday about the outcome of the emergency executive meeting, revealed that the government had approved the delivery of relief materials and 100,000 naira each to the families of the victims affected by accident.
However, President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his anguish over the tragic boating accident in the state.
In a message to the government and people of Kano state to sympathize with them over the tragic incident, the president assured the state government of the support of all federal agencies in the state as the rescue operation continues.
Meanwhile, Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje described the incident as a state tragedy and said the rescue operation is still ongoing.
He said: “We learned that the ship left Hayin Badau to Bagwai on its way to attend the Maulud celebration, as the ship was carrying about 50 people with some loads, which capsized due to overload. And most of them were Islamiyyah’s students.
As we pray to Allah to forgive and bless the souls of those who died and pray for the speedy recovery of those in hospital receiving medical attention, I urge the boat operators always to take the problem of the overload.
“They should know that they can still make a profit without overloading their ships.”
The governor, who lamented that it was the same axis where there was a serious mishap some years ago, further said: “People must know that the lives of all human beings are too important to risk them deliberately.
“So far, according to the information we receive, as of this Wednesday morning there were 20 dead, seven in the hospital and another eight people were found this morning and the rescue operation continues. We salute the courage and patriotic posture of the rescue teams.
