At least, 40 persons died on Saturday when a boat carrying 50 passengers, who were mostly farmers capsized in Zamfara State.
The incident occurred in Gummi Local Government Area of the state when the deceased were en route to their farms.
President Bola Tinubu in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, expressed sadness over the tragic loss of lives following a boat accident and floods in Zamfara state.
While consoling the people and government of Zamfara state, he assured the bereaved families of the Federal Government’s unwavering support.
He said: "The loss of these hardworking farmers is not just a tragedy for Zamfara but for the entire nation. We share in the grief of their families and the wider community who are reeling from the shock of these disasters. The Federal Government stands with the people of Zamfara in this difficult time.
The President lamented the increasing boat mishaps across the country, assuring that the government would improve on safety measures.
He directed relevant emergency and disaster response agencies to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the incidents in order to determine the underlying causes.
"I have instructed our emergency services to work closely with the Zamfara State Government to not only provide immediate relief but to also assess the root causes of these tragedies. We must ensure that such disasters are mitigated in the future, whether through better safety measures or infrastructural improvements," Tinubu added.
The President pleaded with Nigerians to support Zamfara and help in the healing process, adding that no one should be left to face such pain alone.
He promised to offer all necessary support to assist those affected by the boat accident and flooding, just as he reiterated his commitment to strengthening disaster preparedness across the country.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen also expressed sorrow over the death of 40 person's in a boat mishap.
Abbas described the mishap as 'one too many,' noting that he received the news of the tragic and saddening incident with a heavy heart.
He further expressed concern over the recent floods that devastated Gummi LGA, which led to the displacement of hundreds of people.
Abbas extended his heartfelt condolences to the people and government of Zamfara State, particularly those in Gummi LGA over the unfortunate incidents.
The Speaker pleaded with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant agencies to provide immediate relief assistance to the affected individuals and communities.
NEMA and other intervention agencies are gradually providing relief materials to the affected communities.
Zamfara is one of the states in the Northwest worst hit by conflict between farmers and herdsmen, which intensified and transformed into banditry.
From 2015 to 2024, over 10, 000 were killed and 400, 000 displaced in 50 Zamfara communities including security agents.
In April 2021, the former Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle stated that bandits collected N970,000,000 as ransom from victims’ families between 2011 and 2019.
In addition, hundreds of children and animals had died in the state through lead poisoning.
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