Six dead, 5 missing in Niger boat accident

TRAGEDY struck over the weekend in Gbara area of Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, following the death of no fewer than six persons in a boat mishap on River Kaduna, while five others have been declared missing. 

This is just as 37 other passengers on board the ill-fated boat reportedly survived while five others have been declared missing out of about 48 passengers. 

Confirming the incident on Saturday in Minna, the state capital, was the Director General, Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) Malam Ahmed Ibrahim Inga, in an interview with the Sunday Tribune by telephone. 

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According to him, “the boat which took off from Lanchikagi village in Lavun Local Government Area of Niger State and heading to Gbara village was involved in an accident on the waterways thereafter. 

According to Ahmed Inga, “NSEMA has received a report of boat mishap that occurred on Friday, 14th October, in the evening around 6:30 pm at Gbara area of Mokwa Local Government Area in River Kaduna. 

“The boat which took off from Lanchikagi village of Lavun LGA was heading to Gbara village. There were 48 passengers on board and they were said to be returning from Danchitagi village market in Lavun LGA which comes up every Friday.”

The NSEMA boss, however, attributed the cause of the Boat accident to a downpour on Friday evening. The cause of the incident, according to Ahmed Inga, “was as a result of the downpour which was accompanied by violent windstorm,” he added. 

He explained that search and rescue operations were still ongoing as of the time of filing this report.