Boat Mishap Claims Over 40 Lives in Zamfara State

Tragedy struck in Gummi town, Zamfara State, as no fewer than 40 people lost their lives in a boat mishap on Saturday morning.

The victims, mostly farmers and children, were en route to their farms when the boat they were travelling in capsized and sank into the river.

Musa Ahmed, a local resident, reported that the boat, carrying 53 passengers, encountered trouble shortly after setting off, leaving only 12 survivors, including the boat’s captain.

“When the boat capsized early this morning, I was near the river close to Gummi town,” Ahmed recounted.

“We tried our best to rescue the passengers, but unfortunately, only 12 people were brought out alive. The remaining 41 were found dead in the water.”

The Emir of Gummi, Justice Lawal Hassan (rtd), has since sent a condolence message to the bereaved families, expressing his deep sorrow over the incident.

Local authorities have attributed the disaster to overloading.

The Sole Administrator of Gummi Local Government Area, Na’Allah Musa, confirmed that the boat was carrying far more passengers than its capacity allowed. “The boat captain had warned the passengers that some needed to get off, but they refused to listen,” Musa explained.

“Despite his efforts to reduce the number of people onboard, they insisted on staying, which led to the boat capsizing and sinking.”

Musa further detailed the events leading to the tragedy: “As the boat moved forward, the weight proved too much, causing it to overturn and sink. Four passengers managed to swim to safety, while rescue operators were able to save a few others.”

While the exact number of casualties is still being confirmed, the community continues to search for missing passengers.

Rescue efforts are ongoing, and local authorities have been working to recover bodies from the river.

This devastating incident has left the Gummi community in shock, as they mourn the significant loss of life in what is being described as one of the worst boating accidents in recent memory.