Over 53 killed in boat accidents within 1 month in Niger State – NSEMA
Story from Hamzat Ibrahim ABAGA
At least 53 people, including women and children, have been killed in six different boat mishaps in four local government areas (LGAs) of Mokwa, Shiroro, Agwara, and Borgu of Niger State in the last one month.
The death toll accounts for 30 deaths in Mokwa LGA followed by Borgu, Agwara, and Shiroro with 10, 8, and 5 deaths, respectively, as confirmed by Garba Salihu, acting Director General of Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA).
According to a Daily Trust report, Salihu disclosed that 53 deaths were recorded in six incidents of boat mishaps between September 2 and October 2, 2023, while 30 of the 100 farmers on board a single boat in Mokwa LGA lost their lives on September 10, Borgu LGA recorded two incidents.
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The first incident was in Gungu-Koje community on September 8, where a boat carrying 10 people capsized due to a strong wind, killing seven people while three survived.
The second mishap occurred on September 13 in Ularkami community, where a boat carrying 25 people capsized as a consequence of strong winds, leaving three people dead and 22 survivors.
Shiroro LGAs witnessed two boat mishaps as well, with the first incident being recorded on September 2 at Manta community on river Kaduna downstream of Shiroro Dam.
A boat carrying four people capsized as a result of a violent rainstorm, taking two lives and leaving two others injured. The second accident occurred on September 21 in Kafana community when a boat carrying eight people capsized due to strong winds, leaving three dead and five injured.
Recently, on Monday, a boat conveying more than 20 traders from Kasabo in Agwara LG of Niger State reportedly capsized on its way to Yauri fish market, causing eight deaths, while 16 survived.
Salihu clarified that the accident occurred in Agwara LGA, not Yauri in Kebbi State, as earlier reported, and called for urgent help from relevant stakeholders to curb the recurrent mishaps
In the latest update, Salihu disclosed that three more bodies had been recovered from the waters by divers, making the number of passengers killed to seven.
The names of the deceased are Bilyaminu Kontagora, Dauda Alhassan Kasabu, Iliya Kpachra Busuru, and Joshua Auta from Niger State, as well as Murna Ezekiel and Amos Samuel from Kebbi State. He said search operations are still ongoing to recover the remaining victims’ bodies from the water.
In the meantime, the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has expressed condolences to Borgu Emirate, particularly the victims of Agwara, and Kebbi State government over the Monday boat mishap.
Bago urged the people to accept the incident as the will of Allah, praying for the repose of the souls of the departed and encouraging Allah’s comfort to the entire Emirate.
He also condoled with the Kebbi State Government, especially the Yauri Emirate, over the mishap.
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