SOKOTO STATE, Nigeria
A boat capsized in north-western
Nigeria, killing 15 people, police said Wednesday.
The boat was heading to the
village of Dundeji in Sokoto state on Tuesday when it capsized in the middle of
a river, local police spokesman Sanusi Abubakar told The Associated Press
There were 36 passengers on
board the boat, with 21 of them rescued alive. Thirteen females and two males
died. Abubakar said. Some of the fatalities were children.
It was the latest in a series
of boat capsizing in Nigeria's river communities.
The villagers on Wednesday
gathered at the local square with their families as they mourned the victims,
who were on their way to fetch firewood, local media reported.
Umar Yabo, a local
representative, described the deaths as a great loss to the community, which is
about 55 kilometres (34 miles) from the state capital, Sokoto.
Authorities on Wednesday
launched an investigation into the tragedy, the police official said. Such capsizing
are common in many river communities across Nigeria where locally-made boats
are the major means of transportation. Officials attribute them mostly to overloading
and the use of poorly maintained boats.
No comments:
Post a Comment