The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Friday, commiserated with the government and people of Kebbi State over the loss of lives, following the capsizing of a boat conveying farmers.
Buhari’s condolence message was contained in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, titled, President Buhari mourns boat mishap victims in Kebbi State.
More than 20 farmers were feared dead on Tuesday after a boat carrying about 100 farmers capsized in the Koko/Besse Local Government Area of the state.
The Chairman of the area, Yahaya Bello, confirmed that the accident happened on Tuesday night when a rickety boat carried more than 100 rice farmers to Samanaji, a riverine community in the area.
He noted that 80 of the boat passengers were rescued, while 10 were found dead and others still missing.
But reacting to the tragedy, the President condoled the families who lost loved ones in the accident and called for more prayers for those rescued and undergoing medical examinations and treatment.
“The President commends the efforts of rescue workers who worked for days searching for the missing persons, while calling on stakeholders to pay more attention to proper regulation of transportation by boats, especially in rural areas,” the statement added.
Similarly, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, has expressed grief over the incident.
In a statement by Tunde Rahman on behalf of the Tinubu Media Office, the former Lagos governor described the incident as heart-wrenching and a big loss to the families of the deceased persons and to the communities they served as farmers and merchants.
The statement quoted Tinubu as saying, “I join the bereaved families and the government of Kebbi State in mourning the death of the departed persons. I pray to Almighty Allah to repose their souls and give their families the needed consolation at this time. I send my condolences to Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and the good people of Kebbi State.”
