A boat mishap on Niger River has left 13 dead and 26 rescued on their way to Zumba market.
NIWA blames poor safety compliance as most passengers reportedly ignored life jacket precautions.
At least 13 people, including women and children, lost their lives in a boat accident on Saturday morning in the Kwata area of Niger State while en route to the Zumba market in Shiroro Local Government Area. Twenty-six others were rescued.
According to reports, the accident occurred around 11:45 a.m. when a wooden passenger boat carrying 39 people and goods capsized midway into the journey.
Rescue operations began immediately, and by Sunday night, the bodies of the deceased had been recovered and laid to rest in line with local customs.
Officials from the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), led by the Area Manager for Niger and Kwara states, visited the scene of the tragedy. He confirmed that the boat driver and several other survivors are receiving treatment at Kuta General Hospital.
Expressing sorrow over the repeated incidents, the NIWA official lamented that safety precautions were still being ignored by water transport users.
“This tragic event occurred just days after we distributed life jackets to residents along this route. Unfortunately, most of the victims were not wearing them when the accident happened,” he said.
NIWA has renewed its commitment to raising awareness in riverine communities on the importance of using life jackets, conducting regular boat maintenance, and heeding weather warnings to avoid similar incidents.
