2 November 2009
Lagos — About 50 persons including pupils were weekend feared dead in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State as two boats conveying passengers capsized in Nano River, Bukuro village
About 50 persons including pupils were weekend feared dead in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State as two boats conveying passengers capsized in Nano River, Bukuro village.
THISDAY gathered that about 80 passengers were on board the canoes when the incident occurred.
The capsized canoes were said to be conveying the victims from neighbouring Yarawodo village in Benin Republic back to Bukuro where they had gone for business transactions and schooling.
It was learnt that Baruten, a border town in Kwara State and Yaworodo town in Benin Republic share a lot in common with many children and adults crossing over from the two towns on daily basis for schooling as well as business activities.
The tragedy was said to have occurred when the canoes conveying the victims back to Baruten after the day's business in Yarawodo capsized mid-way into the trip.
Speaking on the ugly situation yesterday, the Emir of Guanara in the local government, Alhaji Sabi Idris, described the incident as the worst in the history of Guanara district.
The royal father, who sympathized with the families of the victims, made a passionate appeal to the Federal Government on the need to pay more attention to the development of border towns especially those in Baruten Local Government areas.
He lamented that his district had been described as the most neglected border town, a situation which he said called for urgent attention.
He noted that the incident would have been averted if the school in Bukuro had been adequately equipped, emphasizing the need for the Federal Government to provide the community with good road network and electricity to boost economic activities in the area and discourage the people from the area from crossing over to the Benin Republic border town for business transactions.
Also, the village head of Bukuro, Mallam Isa Aliyu, lamented that his village with a population of about 20,000 could only boast of three teachers in its only primary school.
He said the unfortunate incident occurred as a result of the determination of parents in its domain to get their children and wards educated, thereby necessitating the enrolment of the pupils in the Benin Republic schools.
The Education Secretary of Baruten Local Government area, Mallam Umaru Zango, claimed that about 55 pupils were on board the ill-fated canoes.
Calling on the state government to provide more teachers for Bukuro primary school, Zango said this would go a long way in reducing the number of Kwara pupils attending schools in Benin Republic.
It was learnt yesterday that 35 persons survived the mishap, 30 were found dead, while others were still missing.
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