About 150 people have so far been rescued from the Independence Day boat mishap in which a wooden boat carrying over 300 people, mostly women and children Friday (September 28) capsized at Gbajibo community in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State.
150 others are still missing.
The accident occurred at about 8:30pm on River Niger stream, Jebba dam when the boat suddenly went underwater, leaving about 150 of the passengers missing.
According to Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), the passengers were said to be returning to the community from Mundi community where they had gone to celebrate this year’s Maulid, the birth of Prophet Mohammed (SAWD).
The Director General of NSEMA, Abdullahi Baba Arah in a statement in Minna on Wednesday said that “the boat was sailing from Mundi Community with almost 300 passengers, comprising mostly women and children for Maulid celebration at Gbajibo.”
He disclosed that due to the prompt response from the community volunteers, over 150 persons have been rescued alive so far, while search and rescue operation is still ongoing to locate more survivors.
“NSEMA is directing and monitoring search and rescue operations in collaboration with the State Ministry of Transport, Mokwa Local Government Emergency Committee, brave local divers, and other community volunteers,” he added
Although the Director General did not disclose the cause of the boat mishap, experts said overloading and the age of the boat were a likely cause.
Only last week, the State Governor, Rt Hon Umaru Mohammed Bago said no fewer than 182 lives had been lost to boat mishaps in the state in the past three years, explaining that in 2022 alone, 95 lives were lost while in 2023, at least 68 people were killed in a boat mishap, including the 19 lives that have so far been lost to such mishaps between January and September this year.
