Umar Abdullahi 
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has directed that the bodies of victims of an auto crash who drowned in River Zalzalu on Sokoto- Illela Road last Thursday be recovered and given befitting burial. Following this, bodies of five victims have been found and buried. The accident involved a vehicle and a motorcycle.
Tambuwal also condoled with the families of the deceased. The governor prayed to God to grant the victims Aljanna Firdaus. The victims were identified as Shuaibu Mai Maciji Isa, a snake charmer, along with his two apprentices, Mubarak Aminu, the driver of the vehicle and the motorcyclist, yet to be identified. Tambuwal, who was on his way to condole with the people of Wurno on the day of the accident, had braved the rain as his convoy crossed the bridge to inquire about what happened.
After he was briefed, the governor instructed the state Ministry of Home of Affairs to take charge of the recovery efforts. Promptly, all relevant agencies – the state and federal Fire Services, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the police and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), as well as some expert divers from neighbouring Kebbi State were mobilised to the scene. The team worked all night and succeeded on the first day in bringing out the remains of one victim. The following day, two more bodies were found, while two bodies were also recovered on the third day. All the bodies were deposited at the Sokoto State Specialist Hospital and Uthman Danfodio University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH). The car and motorcycle involved in the accident were yet to be recovered at press time.
After the recovery, the state Ministry of Justice, following the governor’s directive, conducted an inquest into the incident. This led to the identification of some of the victims by their relatives from Acida in Wurno Local Government Area of the state; and their subsequent burial according to Islamic rites.
