ABUJA, July 28 (NNN-XINHUA) — At least 13 bodies have been recovered and dozens more remain missing after a wooden boat capsized in Nigeria’s central Niger State, local emergency officials said.
Abdullahi Baba Arah, head of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, told Xinhua that the overloaded boat was carrying passengers, mainly traders, and farm produce from the Gunu community to the weekly market in Kwata-Zumba, Shiroro area, when it overturned on Saturday.
At least three people, including the boat operator, have been rescued, Arah said, noting the exact number of passengers on board remained unclear as no manifest was kept.
Rescue efforts were momentarily paused on Sunday to allow the custodian of the river to perform rituals that would ensure a “hitch-free rescue mission”, said local official Isiyaku Akilu.
Rescuers, including local divers and volunteers, have joined the ongoing search and rescue efforts.
Adamu Ahmad, a member of the boat drivers’ union, confirmed that the boat was overloaded. He said it was a large wooden boat and efforts are being made to recover more bodies.
Niger State is also home to Nigeria’s three major hydroelectric dams, and boat accidents have become a frequent occurrence. Saturday’s accident happened nine months after a boat carrying mostly women and children returning from a religious festival capsized and killed at least 60 people.
Boat accidents are common in Nigeria, often due to overloading, poor safety practices, and adverse weather conditions. — NNN-XINHUA
