AT LEAST 150 MAWLID CELEBRANTS MISSING AFTER BOAT CAPSIZES IN NIGERIA

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Wed 02 October 2024:

At least 150 people are missing after a boat capsized in western Nigeria, officials said Wednesday.

The incident occurred late on Tuesday in the Mokwa region of Nigeria, said Abdullahi Baba, director general of the emergency agency of Niger state.

According to Baba, the boat carried about 300 persons on their way to attend an annual Muslim religious celebration.

According to the local media, the victims, mostly women and children, left Mundi Community for Gbajibo to mark Mawlid when the boat capsized midway on Tuesday.

The Director General, Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Alhaji Abdullahi Baba Arah, confirmed the incident, but was silent on whether lives were lost.

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“NSEMA has received a report of a boat mishap that occurred last night, 1st October 2024, around 8.30 pm. on river Niger upstream Jebba dam, at Gbajibo Community in Mokwa LGA. The boat was sailing from Mundi Community with a population of almost 300 passengers comprising mostly women and children for Mawlid celebration at Gbajibo.

“NSEMA is directing and monitoring search and rescue operations in collaboration with the State Ministry of Transport, Mokwa Local Government Emergency Committee, brave local divers, and other community volunteers,” he said.

Arah said over 150 persons had been rescued alive, saying that search and rescue operation was still ongoing to rescue more victims.

Nigeria has a long history of tragic boat capsizes, primarily due to overloading, poor maintenance, bad weather, and a lack of safety measures. These accidents occur mainly on rivers such as the Niger and Benue, and in states like Kebbi, Niger, and Sokoto.

One of the worst incidents occurred in 2013, when a boat carrying over 100 passengers capsized on the Niger River, leading to many deaths. In 2021, another deadly accident in Kebbi state claimed over 150 lives. More recently, in 2023, around 100 people drowned in Niger state during a wedding event.

These frequent tragedies highlight Nigeria’s need for stricter regulations and improved safety on its waterways.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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