Over 60 passengers have been killed in Niger State after an overloaded boat capsized.
The boat carrying over 300 passengers, mostly women and children was en route to a Maulid festival on Tuesday when the tragedy struck at Gbajibo, in Mokwa local government area of the State.
While confirming the sad incident, Alhaji Absullahi Baba-Arah, the Director-General, Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA, said the incident occurred on River Niger upstream of Jebba dam when the boat was sailing from Mundi community.
He said, “NSEMA received a report of a boat accident that occurred on the night of October 1, 2024, around 8:30 pm along River Niger, upstream of Jebba Dam, at Gbajibo Community in Mokwa LGA.”
As rescue teams continue to search for survivors, this tragedy underscores the dangers of overloading boats and the need for stricter safety measures on Nigeria’s waterways.
The incident has plunged the affected communities into deep mourning, with hopes that ongoing rescue efforts may save more lives.
