The 61st edition of the Argungu International Fishing Festival opened on Saturday at Mata Fada in Argungu, Kebbi State, with the largest fish recorded at an impressive 59 kilograms.
The Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, disclosed the feat in a statement, describing it as one of the highlights of this year’s competition.
Excitement peaked as thousands of fishermen, tourists and cultural enthusiasts thronged the river, with many of the nearly 40,000 expected participants entering the water minutes before the official opening ceremony and ahead of the arrival of President Bola Tinubu.
Abubakar Usman from Maiyama Local Government Area emerged overall winner after landing the 59kg catch. Abdullahi Garba from Argungu secured second place with a 40kg fish, while Nasir Garba and another contestant shared third place with 33kg catches each.
Announcing the results, the deputy governor said the overall winner would receive two Toyota vehicles donated by the Sokoto State Government, bags of WACOT rice and ₦1 million cash. The second-place winner got a car, a Hajj slot and ₦1 million, while the joint third-place winners were awarded two motorcycles each alongside ₦750,000.
Earlier, Tinubu arrived in Birnin Kebbi, where he commissioned the newly constructed State Secretariat and the upgraded Central Motor Park before proceeding to Argungu to formally declare the festival open.
Established in 1934 to commemorate peace between the Sokoto Caliphate and the Kebbi Kingdom, the festival has grown into a globally recognised cultural event, showcasing fishing contests, traditional music, dance, wrestling, arts and crafts.
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