RABI’UL-AWWAL 25, 1429 A.H
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2 2008
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Tragedy! ...Bride, 30 celebrants drown in Bagwai dam, Shekarau attends funeral, condoles with families
By ABDULLAHI D. ABDULLAHI & ALIYU YUSUF
NO fewer than 31 people out of about 35 mainly women and children lost their lives when a canoe carrying them capsized Monday at Watari Dam in Bagwai Local Government Area of Kano state.
The canoe that was conveying over 20 women and about 15 infants including a bride who was being accompanied to Badau village some five kilometers from Bagwai town, capsized about five minutes to the bank of the dam when it hit a tree.
Daily Triumph learnt that the accident occurred in the third and final trip of the canoe to Badau village at about 8.00 p.m when it was already becoming dark. The sad episode involved a bride, Malama Bilkisu Bibiyo Ado Rinji.
As at the time of filing this report, only one person was confirmed still missing, but four survivors were rescued by local divers according to reports.
As for the four survivors, two are presently receiving medical attention at a Bagwai hospital while the other two are already home.
One of them, Habiba Bagwai said none of the women apart from her survived, adding that she also lost her three children, a 17-month old Abdullahi, Isyaku 6, and Asiya 4.
The driver of the canoe, Malam Abdullahi Sani said he could not ascertain how many passengers were aboard the canoe as it was dark and most of the women were carrying infants and children.
On his part, the Sarkin Ruwa (chief of the local divers), Malam Umar Garba disclosed that one cannot expect any survivor after spending over 10 hours under water, but however said his people were trying tirelessly to see if they could get more survivors.
The chairman of Bagwai local council, Alhaji Abdulhamid Idris said though the number of those involved could not be ascertained as the accident occurred in the night, the casualty may have risen.
Also commenting, the supervisory councillor on health, Hon. Sa’idu Garba
Sarkin’ya told Daily Triumph that the stated number was the one given by the relatives of the bride, but it could have risen because some boarded the canoe at a later stage.
Meanwhile, Kano state governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau was among the thousands of mourners who attended the funeral prayers of some of the unfortunate victims yesterday.
Condoling the families of the deceased, Governor Shekarau described the incidence as a great tragedy not only to the people of the area but to the entire people of the state, praying for Allah to grant them al-Jannatul Firdausi and the fortitude to the families to bear the irreparable loss.
Also, the deputy governor Engr. Abdullahi Tijjani Muhammad Gwarzo was among those who went to the area to condole with the victims’ families.
Daily Triumph recalls that during the National Population Census exercise in 2006, the dam had claimed the life of one of the census officials while trying to cross it aboard a canoe while the other staff, a lady survived.
