Four Girls Die After Boat Capsizes in Jigawa

Four teenage girls have died after a boat carrying eight passengers capsized at Dudduru Pond in Dutse Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

The incident occurred at about 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, while the passengers were travelling from Kwadige Village to Chai Chai Sabuwa Market, according to the Jigawa State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The boat overturned while crossing the pond, which is about three kilometres from Kwadige Village.

Four girls among the victims

The NSCDC identified the deceased as Hasiya Mu’azu, 13; Hauwa Lawan, 13; Fatima Lawan, 12; and Dawsiyya Lawan, 13.

All four victims were female.

The NSCDC said the remaining four passengers survived the accident and were rescued by farmers working around the pond at the time.

Residents of Kwadige and nearby Kuna communities also assisted with the rescue and recovery operation.

Strong winds may have contributed

The NSCDC said preliminary information indicated that strong winds at the time of the incident may have caused the boat to capsize.

The wording is significant because the agency described this as preliminary information. There has been no independently established finding in the available reports that strong winds were definitively responsible for the accident.

The incident occurred as the passengers were using the waterway to travel between their community and a local market.

Victims buried

The four victims were subsequently buried according to Islamic rites, the NSCDC said.

The Jigawa NSCDC Commandant, Muhammad Ingawa, expressed condolences to the families and the Kwadige community following the deaths.

The command also thanked residents who participated in the rescue and recovery efforts.

NSCDC urges caution on waterways

Following the accident, the NSCDC urged people who depend on boats for transportation to exercise greater caution, particularly during strong winds and other adverse weather conditions.

The command advised boat operators and passengers to observe basic water-safety measures and avoid travelling when conditions could put lives at risk.

The advice is particularly relevant to communities where waterways provide an important means of reaching markets and other destinations.

A local transport tragedy

The Dudduru Pond incident highlights the risks faced by communities that rely on small boats for local transportation.

In this case, eight people were aboard the vessel when it capsized, and four survived after nearby farmers responded.

The available reports do not provide enough verified information to determine whether factors such as the condition of the boat, passenger capacity, safety equipment or operator practices contributed to the accident. Those factors should therefore not be presented as causes without supporting evidence.

What is confirmed

As of September 27, 2026, the confirmed information is that a boat carrying eight passengers capsized at Dudduru Pond on September 23.

Four girls, aged between 12 and 13, died, while four other passengers were rescued. The NSCDC has said strong winds may have contributed to the accident, but this remains a preliminary assessment.

The NSCDC has urged boat operators and passengers to avoid dangerous weather conditions and follow basic water-safety measures as authorities and communities mourn the four victims.