A tragic incident unfolded in Niger State on Tuesday night when a boat carrying approximately 300 passengers capsized in the Gbajibo community of the Mokwa Local Government Area. As of now, 150 people are feared dead following the disaster, which occurred around 8:30 PM.
The boat was reportedly returning from a Muslim religious festival known as Maulid, held in Mundi. Initial reports indicate that nine bodies have been recovered so far, comprising seven males and two females. The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba Arah, confirmed the incident, stating that the boat capsized while navigating the River Niger upstream of the Jebba Dam.
NSEMA is actively involved in directing and monitoring search and rescue operations in collaboration with the State Ministry of Transport, local emergency committees, and community volunteers. As a result of these efforts, over 150 individuals have been rescued alive. However, search and rescue operations continue in hopes of finding more survivors.
This incident is a stark reminder of the dangers associated with water transportation in the region. Just last week, Comrade Yakubu Garba, the Deputy Governor of Niger State, revealed that 182 people had lost their lives in boat accidents across the state in the past three years. The breakdown of fatalities includes 95 lives lost in 2022, 68 in 2023, and 19 so far in 2024.
During the recent 2024 World Maritime Day celebrations in Minna, the Deputy Governor emphasized the need for safety measures in water transportation and announced the distribution of 33 fiberglass boats by the National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) to help mitigate risks associated with boating in the state.