The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) has confirmed the recovery of 13 bodies and the rescue of 26 people following a boat mishap in Gini village, Shiroro Local Government Area.
The Director-General of NSEMA, Alhaji Abdullahi Arah, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday in Minna.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incident occurred around 11:45 a.m. on Saturday near the Kwata area as the boat was en route to the Zumba weekly market.
According to Arah, the boat was fully loaded with goods and passengers when it capsized.
“We have confirmed a boat mishap incident with 13 bodies recovered, while 26 persons were rescued, bringing the total number of occupants to 39,” he said.
He added that the deceased, which included eight women, three men, and two children, had been buried in accordance with local customs.
Earlier, the Director of Information and Special Duties at NSEMA, Dr Ibrahim Hussaini, also confirmed the incident and stated that the boat driver and several other passengers were among those rescued. He noted that one of the victims was treated at the General Hospital in Kuta and has since been discharged.
In response to recurring incidents on inland waterways, the Niger State Government, through NSEMA, in collaboration with the National Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), has distributed life jackets to various riverine communities in the state.
