About 100 Die In River Niger Boat Mishap

No fewer than 22 persons have been confirmed dead in a boat mishap on River Niger near Malilli Village of Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

Over 100 others have also been declared missing in the mishap, which occurred on Friday.

The boat was conveying traders, mainly women, from Malilli Market to Tunga Illo Village when it capsized about 2pm with all passengers feared dead.

There have been conflicting reports as to the exact number of casualties. Some news agencies reported over 50 dead while 100 others were missing . However, officials of Niger State Emergency Management Agency put the figure of the dead at 22 with over 42 missing.

Though details of the incident remained sketchy as nobody could ascertain its cause, some traders who missed the ill-fated boat said there were over 150 passengers on board.

It was gathered that a search- and- rescue operation was launched no sooner than the news of the mishap got to Malilli.

Local swimmers from Malilli and neighbouring villages have recovered 42 bodies from the river as at noon yesterday while efforts have been intensified to find the missing 100 passengers.

Another team of rescuers had been dispatched for possible survivors along the bank of the river and corpses that might have drowned.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Mallam Ibrahim Hussaini, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview.

He said: “At the moment, search and rescue are ongoing on the river. For now, 58 persons have been rescued. We shall avail the press and the public details of the incident later but the agency had dispatched its officers to assist the villagers in the rescue efforts.”

He added that the 58 persons rescued have been taken to the General Hospital, New Bussa. Among those still missing is the village head of Malali and a staff of the National Park.

Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu commiserated with the families of the victims. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mallam Danladi Ndayebo, the governor said it was disheartening for such a tragedy to befall the state at a time when government is grappling with challenges to better the lot of the people.

He urged those involved with water transportation to be more careful, especially during the raining season when water level is usually high.

The statement added that the state’s emergency management agency had since deployed its officials to the scene of the mishap to ascertain the extent of losses incurred with a view to compensating families of the victims.