At least 60 bodies have been recovered following the capsizing of a boat carrying approximately 300 people in Niger State, Nigeria.
According to a statement from Abubakar Dakani, the Press Secretary to the Council Chairman of Mokwa Local Government, the incident occurred yesterday evening on the notorious Gbajibo River in Mokwa Local Government Area. The boat was en route from Mundi to Gbajibo for the Annual Maulud celebration when it capsized.
Council Chairman Abdullahi Muregi confirmed the recovery of around 60 bodies and reported that 10 survivors have been located. Rescue operations are ongoing, with the collaboration of the State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) and local volunteers to locate additional missing persons.
Abdullahi Baba-Arah, the director-general of NSEMA, also addressed the incident in a statement on Wednesday. He noted that approximately 150 individuals were rescued thanks to the swift response from the agency and community volunteers.
“The boat mishap occurred on the night of October 1, around 8:30 PM on the River Niger, upstream of the Jebba Dam,” the statement read. “The boat was carrying mostly women and children who were traveling from the Mundi community for Mawlid celebrations at Gbajibo.”
Baba-Arah stated that the agency is still working to determine the cause of the accident. He highlighted that a lack of infrastructure, including inadequate roads to the area, and negligence in enforcing waterway regulations significantly contribute to such disasters.
“NSEMA, in collaboration with the state Ministry of Transport, the Mokwa Local Government Emergency Committee, local divers, and community volunteers, is actively directing and monitoring search and rescue operations. We will provide accurate and timely updates on the situation,” he added.
This incident is part of a troubling trend in Nigeria, where boat disasters are not uncommon due to inadequate infrastructure, regulatory oversight and mismanagement.
Experts note that regulatory failures and the habitual overloading of boats have contributed significantly to such tragedies in Nigeria. The overwhelming number of passengers significantly increases the risk of capsizing, leading to dire consequences for communities already facing hardships.
The latest capsize is the fourth major incident involving over 100 passengers in northern Nigeria since mid-2023, many of whom remain unaccounted for. This ongoing crisis underscores the urgent need for improved safety measures and stricter enforcement of maritime regulations.
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