59kg Giant Fish Steals Spotlight at 61st Argungu Festival
The 61st edition of the Argungu International Fishing Festival commenced in grand style on Saturday February 14, at Mata Fada River in Argungu, Kebbi State, with a record-breaking 59-kilogram fish emerging as the biggest catch of the day.
Global Mirror News gathered that the impressive haul was confirmed by the Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, who disclosed the development in a statement shared Saturday afternoon.
The annual cultural spectacle drew thousands of fishermen, tourists and cultural enthusiasts from across Nigeria and beyond. Excitement peaked shortly after noon when large numbers of the estimated 40,000 participants surged into the river ahead of the official commencement and the arrival of President Bola Tinubu.
In the keenly contested fishing competition, Abubakar Usman from Maiyama Local Government Area clinched the overall prize after landing the 59kg giant fish.
Abdullahi Garba from Argungu secured second position with a 40kg catch, while Nasir Garba and another contestant shared third place with 33kg catches each.
Announcing the winners, the Kebbi State Deputy Governor detailed the reward packages. The overall winner is to receive two Toyota vehicles donated by the Sokoto State Government, bags of WACOT rice and a cash prize of ₦1 million.
The second-place finisher was awarded a car, a Hajj slot and ₦1 million, while the joint third-place winners received two motorcycles each alongside ₦750,000.
Earlier in the day, President Bola 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 Argungu Fishing Festival has grown into a globally recognised cultural event.
Beyond the fishing contest, the festival features traditional music, dance, wrestling, arts and crafts exhibitions, reinforcing its status as one of Nigeria’s foremost heritage celebrations.
