Eight die in Kebbi canoe accident

At least eight people including women and children died in a canoe accident at Tungar-Gegero, Jega local government area of Kebbi State on Monday.

The Chairman of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Sani Dododo, disclosed this to journalists in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday.

Two persons died in a similar accident in Lagos on Monday night.

Dododo said: “Just yesterday at about 10:30 a.m. there was an incident at Tungar-Gegero in Jega local government area, where eight people lost their lives to canoe mishap.

“Women and children about 10 of them were onboard with only one operator, a middle aged man and he was trying to transport the people to a naming ceremony.

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“They had started the journey and crossed to the other bank of the stream successfully, but on their way back the canoe capsized and all the occupants were drowned in the water.”

The SEMA chief, however, said the canoe operator was able to save two women, adding that the remaining eight including children drowned in the water.

He added that the agency had recovered the bodies of three adults and a baby girl from the water.

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