A tragic boat accident in north-central Nigeria has claimed the lives of at least 16 people and left countless others missing. The vessel, carrying hundreds of passengers predominantly women and children, capsized on Tuesday evening while en route to celebrate the Muslim festival of Mawlid.
According to Abdullahi Baba Arah, head of the emergency agency for Niger State, the boat was overloaded, carrying nearly 300 people when it encountered trouble around 8:30 pm local time on a stretch of the River Niger near Mokwa. While the specific cause of the accident remains unconfirmed, brave local divers and volunteers have managed to rescue approximately 150 survivors.
As of Wednesday evening, the search for missing passengers continued, and authorities had recovered 16 bodies, including two females and 14 males. Ibrahim Audu Husseini, the agency’s spokesman, expressed concerns about the likelihood of recovering more bodies.
Boat accidents are unfortunately a recurring issue on Nigeria’s poorly regulated waterways, particularly during the rainy season when rivers and lakes experience elevated water levels. Just last month, a similar tragedy unfolded when an overloaded boat carrying over 50 farmers sank in the Gummi River in Zamfara State. More than 40 individuals are believed to have perished in that incident.
This latest accident serves as a grim reminder of the safety risks posed by inadequate regulations and overcrowding on Nigeria’s waterways. The authorities are now focusing on rescue efforts and investigating the cause of the accident to prevent future tragedies.
