Sixty dead bodies have been recovered in a boat accident that happened on Tuesday night in Niger State.
News About Nigeria reports that the tragedy was announced in a statement by the Press Secretary to the Council Chairman of Mokwa local government, Abubakar Dakani, on Wednesday morning.
According to Dakani, the boat was carrying over 300 passengers when it capsized at Gbajibo River in Mokwa Local Government Area of the state yesterday (Tuesday) evening.
Giving details, he stated that the boat was travelling from Mundi to Gbajibo for the annual Maulud celebration when tragedy struck.
Confirming the tragedy, the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) revealed that it has intensified a search and rescue operation.
The Director-General of NSEMA, Alhaji Abdullahi Baba-Arah made the confirmation in a statement in Minna, the Niger State capital on Wednesday.
He said, ”The boat mishap occurred last night, Oct. 1, around 8:30 pm on the River Niger upstream of Jebba dam. The boat was carrying approximately 300 passengers, mostly women and children, travelling from the Mundi community for Maulid celebrations at Gbajibo. The agency, in collaboration with the state Ministry of Transport, Mokwa Local Government Emergency Committee, local divers, and community volunteers, is directing and monitoring search and rescue operations.”
Baba-Arah also disclosed that over 150 persons have been rescued alive so far as a result of the prompt response from community volunteers.
He also assured the general public that the agency is working tirelessly to rescue the remaining victims, adding that they “will provide accurate and timely updates on the situation.”
Baba-Arah, however, noted that they are still yet to determine the cause of the mishap.
