MORE than 100 passengers are missing following a boat mishap on the Malale River in the Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
According to a report, the incident occurred on Wednesday and was confirmed by the Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) Ahmed Inga, who stated that a rescue team had been deployed in search of the victims.
The boat, which was heading towards Kebbi from Niger State, capsized at about 3:00 PM and the number of deaths remained uncertain as bodies were still being recovered.
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“We have deployed all our men, including local swimmers, on rescue missions. They are still searching for the victims. For now, we are still gathering details on the incident and we will get back to you when we have all the information,” he said.
Barely three weeks ago, a boat mishap had led to the deaths of over 28 people returning from a local market in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
Boat mishaps have remained a common incident in the Nigerian waterways due to several reasons ranging from overcrowding to unfavourable weather conditions.
The mishaps have continued to be on the rise in recent times, despite regulatory measures that have been put in place to curb marine accidents.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via vopara@icirnigeria.org or @ije_le on Twitter.