22 bodies recovered in Niger state boat mishap

Twenty-two people have been confirmed dead in the boat accident that occurred in Agaie LGA of Niger state. 

Several persons were reported missing on Friday after a boat capsized along the Dambo-Ebuchi section of the River Niger.

Abdullahi Baba-Arah, director-general of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), in a statement on Friday, said the incident occurred around 2am on Thursday.

According to Baba-Arah, the boat, which was sailing from Kogi state to Katcha market in Niger, had about 50 passengers — mostly women — on board.

He said 22 bodies have been recovered so far, while eight persons were rescued alive.

Baba-Arah added that 18 of the deceased passengers were from Kogi, while four were residents of Akwanu community in Agaie LGA.

Search and rescue operations are ongoing, the director-general said.

None of the passengers reportedly wore life jackets.

The incident is the latest in a series of boat mishaps to hit Niger state.

In September, a boat accident claimed the lives of 42 persons in Gbajibo community, Mokwa LGA of Niger state.

On October 1, a boat conveying more than 200 persons went missing, with 150 passengers reportedly rescued.

A two-part investigation by TheCable showed how regulatory failures have turned Nigeria’s waterways to death traps.

About 701 citizens lost their lives in 53 boat accidents that occurred across Nigeria’s waterways in 34 months — spanning January 2020 to October 2022.

Over 100 lives have been lost to boat mishaps in 2024.

More than 300 people also died in boat incidents across the country in 2023.