About 17 boys and girls have reportedly died in the Dandeji River, in Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State, when a boat they were traveling in capsized.

The Council Chairman, Alhaji Aliyu Dantani, confirmed the incident in Sokoto.

According to him, the accident occurred on Tuesday morning, adding that the corpses have been evacuated by local divers and buried according to Islamic rites at about 2 30 p.m, same day. 

Dantani, explained that about 40 girls and boys were on their way to fetch firewood at a nearby bush when the boat went deep down the river.

He said some of the passengers swam to safety adding that the search party are ongoing to recover other

It was gathered that the owner of the canoe reported the ugly incident stressing that17 corpses have been recovered, by local divers, who are still searching for other victims.

Last year similar incident occurred on April 13, 2022, at Gidan Magana village, when 29 persons mostly teenagers on their way to fetch firewood, a traditional activity of children in the area, who were mostly out of school were confirmed dead.