15 villagers attending Mawlud celebration drown in Sokoto boat capsize

No fewer 15 villagers have been reportedly drown after their boat capsized on the waterway along Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

It was gathered that the incident occurred Tuesday evening when the victims were going to a neighbouring village to attend the Mawlud Nabiy celebration, in commemoration of Prophet Muhammad’s birthday.

Confirming the incident, The Chairman of the local government council, Aliyu Abubakar Dantani said the victims came from different villages.

He said, “They were 25 onboard when the boat capsized but 10 of them were rescued alive. They came from four different villages, converged on one of the villages and from there they entered the canoe.

“They were on their way to another village for the annual Mawlud festival but the boat capsized before they reached their destination.

“Fifteen persons drowned but their bodies were later recovered and buried according to the Islamic rites.”

According to Dantani, four of the victims were from Gidan Raket village, three were from Gidan Dawa, seven from Sabon Garin Sullubawa and one girl was from Tsohon Garin Sullubawa.

On the promise made by Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal in 2021 to provide life jackets in the riverine villages around the local government, the chairman said that “it is still on course.”