No fewer than 18 persons, mostly children have lost their lives while six persons were declared missing after a boat capsized in Mai’adua Local Government Area of Katsina State.

According to Daily Trust, a resident, Lawal Sakatare, who confirmed the incident, said 24 persons on Sallah celebrations were onboard the ill-fated canoe when it capsized and 18 persons, majority of whom were young children, drowned.

“Fourteen of them were from Tsabu village while four were from Dogon Hawa village. Fifteen out of the 18 were buried in Mai’adua today (Thursday) while the remaining six persons onboard are still missing,” he said.

Sakatare added that a team from the affected villages was still on a search and rescue mission, trying to locate the remaining six even though hope of getting them alive had dimmed.

The state police spokesman, SP Gambo Isah, could not be reached to comment on the incident as at the time of filling this report.

In a related development, a customs patrol vehicle chasing suspected smugglers in Jibia local government area of Katsina crushed one person dead on Wednesday.

Three others sustained injuries in the incident.

The deceased was said to be on his way to Katsina from Jibia on a motorcycle when the fleeing vehicle, which was on a very high speed, smashed him.

The Controller of Katsina Area Command of the Nigerian Customs, Comptroller Dalha Wada Chedi, who confirmed the incident, said investigation was ongoing.

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