The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Jigawa Command has confirmed the death of four persons, while five others are missing following a boat mishap in Jigawa.
The boat mishap occurred in the Taura Local Government Area of the state.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, ACSC Badruddeen Tijjani, confirmed the accident in a statement issued to newsmen in Dutse, the state capital, on Tuesday.
Tijjani stated that seven other persons survived the incident that occurred at Zangon Maje village at about 5pm on Sunday.
He explained that the incident occurred when a canoe carrying 17 passengers, mostly young girls aged 10 to 13, capsized midway between Digawa village in Jahun LGA and Zangon Maje village in Taura LGA.
“Preliminary reports confirmed that out of the 17 passengers onboard, seven were rescued alive, four dead bodies have been recovered, while five persons remain missing as of the time of this release.
“Out of the 17 passengers, 16 were females. This highlights the devastating impact of this incident on young lives,” he lamented.
The PRO further stated that rescue efforts, led by the NSCDC in partnership with local divers and community volunteers, were still ongoing to locate the missing victims.
According to him, the cause of the accident is yet unknown, and an investigation is ongoing to discover the facts surrounding the occurrence.
Tijjani informed the public that the command was taking all necessary steps to prevent future incidents and ensure safety on the state’s waterways.
The NSCDC Commander in the state, Mr. Bala Bawa, expressed deep sympathy to the affected families and communities of Digawa and Zangon Maje.
He also praised the swift response of all personnel and volunteers involved in the rescue operation and promised to provide further updates as investigation and recovery efforts progress.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")