Tragedy as Family of 10, 15 Others Feared Dead in Boat Mishap
- A boat carrying an unspecified number of passengers has capsized, along with its occupants, in Niger state
- The boat was said to be heading towards Kwata, Zumba Market when the tragic incident occurred on Saturday, July 26, 2025
- The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Arah, shared more details about the tragic incident
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Niger state - Tragedy struck in the Shiroro local government area of Niger state following a tragic boat accident.
It was gathered that no fewer than 25 people, including 10 members of the same family, lost their lives in the tragic incident.
Source: Twitter
The incident occurred when the victims were headed to the Kwata-Zumba weekly market around 11:45 a.m. on Saturday, July 26, 2025, in the Gunu community.
As reported by Vanguard, the boat, reportedly overloaded with passengers and farm produce, capsized mid-journey, plunging its occupants into the water.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) made this known in a statement issued by its Director General, Abdullahi Arah.
“NSEMA has received a report of a boat mishap incident which occurred today (yesterday), 26th July 2025, around 11:45 am when a boat loaded with commodities and an unspecified number of passengers heading towards Kwata, Zumba Market, capsized along with its occupants.”
Arah said some passengers, including the boat operator, were successfully rescued by a rescue operation involving NSEMA officials, local divers, and community volunteers.
He added that efforts to recover bodies and find possible survivors were still ongoing.
“As of the time of filing this report, the number of casualties could not be confirmed nor ascertained, as the search and rescue operation is still ongoing by NSEMA desk officers, local divers, and volunteers.”
The NSEMA boss disclosed that one of the rescued victims is currently receiving treatment at the General Hospital in Kuta, the headquarters of Shiroro LGA.
60 bodies recovered, many missing as boat capsizes
Recall that at least 60 bodies were recovered after a boat carrying over 300 passengers capsized in Niger State’s Gbajibo River.
The boat was en route to the annual Maulud celebration when the tragedy struck, leaving many still missing.
Rescue efforts are ongoing, with 10 survivors found so far, as the community reels from the incident.
Read more stories on boat mishaps:
- Tragedy on River Benue: Boat Capsizes, 20 Women and Children Feared Dead
- Tragedy as Zamfara Confirms Death of 40 Persons in Boat Accident
- Nigerian Lady Who Travelled by Boat from Nigeria to Cameroon Spends 4 Days on 4-Hour Journey.
Over 100 missing as boatcapsizes onn the River Nige.r
In a similar story, Legit.ng reported that at least 100 people, mostly women, are missing after a boat capsized on the River Niger while traveling from Kogi State to Niger State.
Local divers are working to rescue passengers, but at least eight people have been confirmed dead at the scene.
Authorities are investigating the exact cause of the capsizing, with concerns raised about the boat being overloaded.
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Source: Legit.ng
