Niger Boat Mishap, 26 Dead Bodies Recovered
No fewer than least 26 bodies have been retrieved while 44 are still missing after a boat capsized in a river in Mokwa Local Government of Niger State.
The boat mishap was said to have happened at about 8am on Sunday, between the Jabba and Kainji dams.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) confirmed that over 100 persons were on board the boat.
NSEMA added that the victims, who were from Gbajibo, Ekwa, and Yankyade communities, were on the way to their farms located on the other side of the River Niger.
The Public Relations Officer of NSEMA, Ibrahim Husseini, said the agency in partnership with officials of the Mokwa Local Government
supported by local divers are conducting a search, rescue, and recovery operation at the scene of the incident.
“So far, 26 corpses have been recovered while over 30 have been rescued as the operation is ongoing. Over 100 persons are said to be on board the boat when the incident occurred,” Husseini said.
The Chairperson of Mokwa Local Government, Jibrin Muregi, while confirming the incident, said rescue operations were ongoing.