From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
Four people are feared to have drowned along the Yauri town market riverbank, while others were rescued from the water, according to reports from the Red Cross Society of Nigeria.
The incident occurred when the victims were returning from Yauri river market on Tuesday at about 11:14 a.m.
It was learnt that on Wednesday, three bodies were recovered from the water and taken to the village of Hikiya, Rofiya LGA in Niger State, across the Yauri riverbank, for burial.
The rescue efforts were overseen by the Red Cross Society of Nigeria’s executive members, including Alhaji Isah Bako Tondi (Chairman), Aliyu Adamu (Division Secretary), Nafiu Nuhu (Disaster Management Team Lead), and Lauratu Mohammed Nayelwa (Vice Chairman, Nigeria Red Cross, Yauri Division).
The community has been working together with the Red Cross and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to respond to the incident and locate the missing bodies.
According to Nafiu Nuhu, Disaster Management Team Lead at the Yauri Division of the Red Cross Society of Nigeria, the accident occurred when the canoe submerged, leading to a drowning incident.
“Some of the victims were rescued from the submerging/drowning accident with the assistance of our great members from the Red Cross Society of Nigeria, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), and community people,” Nuhu said.
Nuhu added that four people are feared dead, although their bodies have not been recovered yet.
“But sadly, we expect four people to be dead from the drowning/submerging accident, but it’s not confirmed. For now, none of the submerged bodies has been found from the water drowning/submerging accident due to circumstances, but we hope all the submerged bodies will be found after 24 hours from now,” he said.
The Red Cross Society of Nigeria, in collaboration with NIWA and community members, responded quickly to the incident, providing emergency assistance to those affected.