A wooden boat which was carrying 34 passengers has capsized in the Agwara and Yauri local government areas of Niger and Kebbi states respectively.
The boat was reportedly carrying passengers from Gebbe, Kasabo and other water bus stops to the Yauri market was only few meters from its destination when it capsized owing to the stormy weather conditions.
Local divers immediately took to the area to survey and try to save as many passengers as they could. Unfortunately, the toll is on the low side as they could only save seven while twenty seven passengers are still unaccounted for. Most of the victims are reportedly from the Niger and Kebbi states in Nigeria.
Confirming the incident to Channels Television on Tuesday, the Managing Director of the National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC), Abubakar Yelwa, confirmed the statistics while emphasizing that the fatality rate would have been lower if most passengers put on the appropriate gear — life jackets. He has also promised that the commission will look into sustaining the distribution of Life jackets in addition to advocating the importance of using the gear.
More efforts are still being made to find missing passengers.