Survivors from the tragedy: Fatima Idris and Fa’iza Abdullahi, said the incident happened on Friday at about 12 noon when they were returning from Hayin Sarkin Fito shortly after a heavy rainfall.
The survivors said, “We boarded a canoe 16 of us, when it was about to reach the shore, it started sinking down. Some of us that were able to swim, swum alongside the Canoe driver while the remaining nine drowned in the water.”
Speaking on the incident, the Village head of Tudun Iya, Alhaji Muhammadu Musa, described it as a big tragedy that has never happened in the community.
Musa said on that fateful day, they recovered five bodies, while on the following day, three bodies were recovered at Kaku village while the last body was recovered at Garu Rubuchi 5km away from the scene of the incident.
He explained that all of them have been buried according to Islamic rite.
The village head advised people using canoe to always put safety first and avoid overloading passengers for the sake of money.
River Galma is linked to River Kaduna en route to River Gilmore in Kubau local government area of Kaduna State.
In a condolence visit, member representing Zaria City Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Suleiman Wakili donated two new canoes to the community to ease their transportation difficulties.
