Nigeria

Breaking: Many Feared Dead as Boat Carrying 160 Passengers Capsizes in Kebbi

Thursday, May 27, 2021 at 12:20 AM by Nurudeen Lawal

- There is panic in Kebbi state following a boat accident that occurred in the River Niger

- An eyewitness said the only 22 survivors and one dead body have been recovered from the boat which was carrying about 160 passengers

- The eyewitness blamed the accident on overloading, explaining that the boat was supposed to carry 80 passengers

PAY ATTENTION: Join Legit.ng Telegram channel! Never miss important updates!

A boat ferrying about 160 passengers capsized in the River Niger on Wednesday, May 26, a report by Daily Trust stated, adding that dozens of people in the boat were missing.

The newspaper reported that the boat left Niger state and was heading to Kebbi state in the northwest zone when it split and sank.

Many Feared Dead as Boat Carrying 160 Passengers Capsizes in Kebbi State — Opobo people paddling from Opobo IMO River axis to connect River Niger. Photo credit: @HCookey
Source: Twitter

Legit.ng gathers that Abdullahi Buhari Wara, the local head of Ngaski district, narrated the incident.

Read also

Bandits attack Sokoto, kill village head, steal N12m from cattle traders

He said a rescue operation is underway but only 22 survivors and one dead body have been recovered, adding that about 140 passengers are still missing.

Wara blamed the accident on overloading as the boat was meant to carry not more than 80 passengers.

He added that the boat was also loaded with bags of sand from a gold mine.

The director-general of the state emergency management agency, Ahmed Inga, has also confirmed the incident, Channels TV reported.

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that at least 28 people lost their lives in a tragic boat accident in the Shiroro local government area of Niger state.

Ahmed Inga, the director-general of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), made this confirmation in a statement in Minna on Sunday, May 9.

According to him, the occupants of the boat were 100 passengers coming from Zumba from Tija village of Munya local government area of the state. Inga said the incident happened on Saturday, May 8, at about 6pm.