BY LEVI JOHNSON
The boat mishap in Niger state has reportedly claimed the lives of one hundred passengers.
The boat which capsized around 7:30 am was said to have taken off from Loko mina in Niger state, heading to Kebbi state.
Most of the occupants in the boat were identified as traders heading to trade in a popular Market in Kebbi state.
It was gathered that eighty from the 180 passengers on board were rescued alive while a hundred confirmed dead.
Vanguard reports that only 20 passengers had been rescued as at 6:30 pm and 4 corpses have been recovered.
The major cause of the accident could not be immediately ascertained but inside source attributed it to overloading.
“The boat is old and it was also overloaded,” the source revealed. Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed Inga, when contacted confirmed the incident.
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“It is true that a boat capsized and search and rescue operation is ongoing by the Marine police, NIWA, and our local divers”, Inga remarked.
Just three weeks ago, a similar incident occurred in Tijana in Munya local government area of the state where 28 people were reportedly dead.
Over 100 people were also in the boat when it capsized from Cuba Market with many passengers yet unfound. The boat was also overloaded.
