Over 60 feared dead as boat capsizes in Niger

No fewer than 60 people have lost their lives after a boat carrying more than 100 passengers capsized in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

The tragic incident occurred on Tuesday morning when the vessel, which had departed from Tungan Sule in Malale district en route to Dugga for a condolence visit, struck a submerged tree stump near Gausawa community.

Abdullahi Baba Ara, Chairman of Borgu LGA, confirmed that the death toll was still rising.

“The death toll of the boat incident has risen to 60. Ten people are in critical condition while several others remain missing,” he said.

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Sa’adu Inuwa Muhammad, the district head of Shagumi, who was at the scene, disclosed that more than 100 people were on board. He added that 31 bodies had been recovered by Tuesday evening, with women and children making up the majority of the victims.

The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) confirmed that 29 deaths had been officially recorded so far, alongside 50 rescues and two missing persons. The agency attributed the accident to overloading and collision with a tree stump.

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