Thirteen bodies have been recovered from a river where a boat capsized on Saturday, while several other passengers remain missing.
The tragedy occurred in Kwata, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, as the boat took traders to a local market.
The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Arah, confirmed the incident in a statement issued by the Director of Information and Special Duties of the agency, Ibrahim Hussaini.
According to the report, the boat conveying passengers and goods to the weekly Zumba market capsized at about 11:45 a.m.
The vessel was reportedly overloaded and heading toward the market across the volatile waters of the river in Shiroro.
Rescue operations commenced immediately, involving NSEMA officers, local divers, and volunteers. While some of the victims, including the boat operator and a few passengers, were rescued alive, one of the rescued individuals who was admitted to the General Hospital in Kuta has since been discharged.
“The exact number of casualties is yet to be determined as search and recovery operations are ongoing,” Dr. Hussaini stated, adding that the agency is working closely with community members to locate those still unaccounted for.
Boat accidents are unfortunately frequent in the riverine communities of Niger State. Despite repeated government interventions, including the distribution of life jackets by the Niger State Government in collaboration with the National Hydro Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), enforcement remains weak.
READ ALSO: Niger boat accident wipes out family of 10, claims 25 lives
Similar incidents have claimed dozens of lives in recent years, mostly due to overloading, poor enforcement of safety protocols, and inadequate supervision of river transport activities.
Despite regular sensitisation campaigns, residents have continually lamented the government’s failure to enforce safety regulations.
The authorities have reiterated calls for strict adherence to safety measures, warning that continued negligence will only result in more deaths.
NSEMA urged boat operators and passengers alike to use life jackets and avoid overloading, particularly during market days when water transport is busiest.
As of the time of filing this report was filed, search operations remained active, and local authorities were expected to provide an update on the casualty figures and recovery efforts in the coming days.
