- The boat mishap happened around 11:45 am on Saturday morning while the boat, which was loaded with goods and passengers, was heading to Zumba weekly Market from Kwata
At least thirteen people have lost their lives after a boat capsized in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
The boat mishap happened around 11:45 am on Saturday morning while the boat, which was loaded with goods and passengers, was heading to Zumba weekly Market from Kwata.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA, confirmed the incident, saying the dead bodies have been confirmed body have been recovered.
Director General of NSEMA, Alhaji Abdullahi Baba Arah, in a statement issued by the Director, Information and Special Duties, Dr Ibrahim Hussain, said many passengers are still missing.
Recall that the driver of the boat and a few passengers were earlier rescued, with some of them admitted to the General Hospital Kuta and later discharged.
According to the NSEMA director general, the number of casualties is yet to be ascertained as search and rescue operations are still ongoing by the agency’s operatives, local divers and volunteers in the community.
It would be recalled that, in a bid to curb incessant boat accidents in the state, the Niger State government, through NSEMA, National Hydro Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission, N-HYPPADEC, and the National Inland Waterways Agency, NIWA, among others, had distributed life jackets across various riverine communities.
However, failure by boat owners and travellers to use the life jackets, despite enforcement, has contributed to high casualty rates during such incidents in the state.
Discussion about this post