A tragic boat accident has left around 150 passengers missing in the Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State.
The boat accident, carrying over 300 people—mostly women and children from mostly Niger State—capsized on Tuesday during a journey to celebrate Maulid.
CKNNews learnt that the passengers were traveling from Mundi Community to Gbajibo Community when the incident occurred. Alhaji Abdullahi Baba-Arah, Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), confirmed the accident in a statement on Wednesday, adding that rescue efforts are ongoing to find more survivors.
Baba-Arah stated that the accident happened on October 1, 2024, at approximately 8:30 pm, along the River Niger, upstream of the Jebba Dam, near Gbajibo Community in Mokwa LGA.
“The boat, which was transporting about 300 passengers, mainly women and children from Mundi Community, was en route to Gbajibo for the Maulid celebration,” he said.
He added that NSEMA is coordinating the search and rescue operations in collaboration with the State Ministry of Transport, Mokwa Local Government Emergency Committee, local divers, and other community volunteers. “Thanks to the swift response of the local volunteers, over 150 persons have been rescued alive so far,” Baba-Arah noted.
The Niger State official assured the public that the search and rescue efforts for the boat accident are ongoing, and more updates will be shared as additional survivors are found