150 passengers are said to be missing after a boat disaster in Niger State’s Mokwa Local Government Area.
Over 150 passengers Missing in Niger Boat Mishap
On Tuesday, during a Maulid celebration excursion, the unfortunate boat that was carrying over 300 passengers—mostly women and children—capsized.
Tragic events reportedly occurred while the travelers were heading from Mundi Community to Gbajibo Community for the Maulid holiday.
Alhaji Absullahi Baba-Arah, the director general of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, confirmed the occurrence on Wednesday and stated that search and rescue operations were in progress to find further survivors.
“NSEMA received a report of a boat accident that occurred along the River Niger, upstream of Jebba Dam, at Gbajibo Community in Mokwa LGA, on the night of October 1, 2024, around 8:30 pm,” stated Baba-Arah.
About 300 people, mostly women and children from the Mundi Community, were being transported by boat to Gbajibo for the Maulid celebration.Together with the State Ministry of Transportation, the Mokwa Local Government Emergency Committee, neighborhood divers, and other community volunteers, NSEMA is organizing search and rescue operations.
Thus far, more than 150 people have been saved alive because of the prompt action of the local volunteers.He gave everyone the reassurance that the search and rescue effort was still in progress and that the public will receive additional updates when more survivors were found.