Boat carrying over 200 passengers capsizes in Niger State – Official

A boat carrying over 200 passengers has capsized at Gbajibo village in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, an official of the state government has said.

The media officer of the state Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Habibu Wushishi, said the accident occurred around 8.30 p.m. on Tuesday as the boat conveyed passengers from a local market to Gbajibo village.

However, Mr Wushishi did not speak about the fate of the passengers. But he said a search and rescue team was already at the scene of the accident and that further developments would be made known to the public.

According to a statement by the officer, the cause of the mishap was yet to be ascertained but the ministry was collaborating with the state Ministry of Transport, the state Emergency Management Agency, and the National Inland WaterWays to find out.

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The ministry advised residents of riverine areas in the state to desist from night travels and overloading of boats, and further advised passengers to use live jackets on boats to avert future occurrence.

A similar mishap occurred in the same village a few months ago.