Four people are feared dead following a canoe accident at the Yauri market riverbank in Kebbi State, with emergency responders rescuing several others from the water.
The tragic incident occurred when a canoe reportedly capsized, plunging its occupants into the river. Nafiu Nuhu, head of the Disaster Management team at the Yauri division of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, confirmed the incident.
“Some of the victims were rescued with the help of our members, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), and the local community,” Nuhu said.
He stated that while four people are still unaccounted for and presumed dead, efforts are underway to recover their bodies. “We are hopeful that all submerged bodies will be found within 24 hours,” he added.
The Red Cross, in collaboration with NIWA and community members, mounted a swift emergency response. As of Tuesday morning, three bodies had been recovered and transported to Hikiya village, across the Yauri riverbank.
Executive members of the Red Cross and local volunteers have remained on site, working tirelessly to complete the search and support the victims’ families.
