Kano Father Mourns Three Daughters Lost in Tragic Tiga Dam Boat Mishap

Malam Abdulhadi Suleiman, a 55-year-old father, has shared his profound grief days after a devastating boat accident on Tiga Dam in Kano State claimed the lives of his three daughters. The tragic incident, which occurred on Saturday, August 29, plunged the Yalwan Rugu-Rugu community in Tudunwada Local Government Area into deep sorrow.

His daughters, Murjanatu, Atikatu, and Bilkisu (also known as Amira), had accompanied their brother, Usman Abdulhadi (or Abba), to their farm to assist with the rice harvest. Malam Suleiman recounted to Daily Trust that his children had successfully completed their farm duties and were on their way back home by boat when the unfortunate event transpired. “They went to the farm with their brother to assist him in harvesting rice. They successfully finished the work and boarded a boat to return home,” he stated.

The journey began without issue, but as the boat reached the middle of the dam, it suddenly capsized. “Suddenly, the boat capsized. Their brother was the only man inside the boat, and he could not rescue all of them,” the distraught father explained.

Eyewitnesses and neighbours reportedly made frantic attempts to save the girls. Several people rushed to the scene, bringing three additional boats to aid in the rescue. However, in a further stroke of misfortune, these rescue boats also capsized, rendering the efforts futile. “People brought three boats in an attempt to rescue them, but unfortunately, the rescue efforts failed,” Malam Abdulhadi lamented.

A messenger was dispatched to Yalwan Rugu-Rugu to alert residents, prompting approximately 200 community members to mobilize to the accident site. Despite the massive turnout, by the time the girls were eventually recovered from the water, it was too late. The accident happened around 1 pm on that Saturday, with their bodies being retrieved about two and a half hours later, around 3:30 pm.

Malam Abdulhadi expressed his utter devastation, stating he never anticipated experiencing such a profound loss. He described how the passing of his three daughters had left him and the entire village in a state of shock. “The village is silent now. Everybody is shocked because we have never witnessed this kind of tragedy in the history of our village,” he shared. He had held hopes for his daughters to pursue their education further, aspiring for them to attend tertiary institutions. “I never expected that they would di£ at this time. I was expecting them to continue their education and go to higher institutions,” he added.

Despite the immense pain, Malam Abdulhadi concluded with a statement of faith: “I have submitted everything to Almighty Allah; I pray that He forgives them and grants them Jannatul Firdaus.” The girls have since been laid to rest in accordance with Islamic rites.