Five people have died after a canoe capsized on the Kudi River in Shaba Woshi Village, Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State, with police confirming that the bodies of all the victims have been recovered.
The incident occurred on Saturday, August 15, when the canoe capsized on the river, according to the latest operational report released by the Nigeria Police Force.
Police operatives were mobilised to the area following the incident and recovered the bodies of the five victims.
The deceased were identified as Yahaya Abubakar, Usman Abubakar, Lamin Hussaini, Baba Ahmadu and Salihu Aliyu.
The bodies were subsequently buried according to Islamic rites, while the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) also confirmed the deaths but said it had not received detailed information about the incident.
The development has renewed attention on the risks associated with water transportation in communities where residents rely on rivers and canoes to move between settlements.
Unlike road transportation, where emergency response can sometimes be more immediate, accidents on waterways can make rescue operations more difficult, particularly when victims are trapped in or swept away by the water.
However, authorities have not released details on what caused the canoe to capsize, including whether factors such as weather conditions, the condition of the canoe, overcrowding or other circumstances played a role.
The police said investigation into the incident is ongoing as authorities work to establish what led to the fatal mishap.
The tragedy comes amid continued concerns over boat safety in parts of Nigeria, where waterways remain an important means of transportation for residents in riverine and hard-to-reach communities.
For families and residents of Shaba Woshi Village, the recovery and burial of the five victims marks a painful end to the search, while the ongoing police investigation is expected to provide more information on how the incident occurred.
