Five people, including the canoe driver and a nursing mother, were rescued, but the nursing mother’s child remains missing, according to reports.
Search and rescue efforts for the six other missing passengers were ongoing at the time of this report.
Jamilu Mustapha Yakasai, the Madobi local government information officer, told Daily Trust that the bodies of the victims, Maryam Jibrin, Yusuf Galinja, Kabiru Muhammad, and Safiyanu Musa, were recovered and buried according to Islamic rites on Wednesday.
He also mentioned that the interim chairman of Madobi Local Council, Alhaji Muhammad Sani Gora, visited the Kauran Mata community to offer condolences and assured that the council would provide all necessary support to the affected families during this difficult time.
Salisu Adamu Baure, a resident of Kauran Mata, noted that this was the first time such a fatal accident had occurred in the river, attributing the tragedy to overloading, as the canoe was carrying two bags of rice and a motorcycle.
The ward head of Kauran Mata, Ibrahim Lawan, urged the Kano State government and elected officials to provide modern speed boats equipped with life jackets to prevent future tragedies.
The spokesman for the Kano State Fire Service, Saminu Abdullahi, confirmed the incident, stating that the councillor representing Kauran Mata Ward, Aminu Garba, contacted the state fire service when the accident occurred.
