Niger State Boat Disaster: Over 200 Passengers Aboard, Death Toll at 8
In the early hours of Friday, a tragic boat accident occurred along the Dambo-Ebuchi section of the River Niger, claiming the lives of several passengers. The boat, owned by one Musa Dangana, was ferrying over 200 passengers—mainly market women and farm laborers—on their way to the Katcha weekly market in Niger State.
Eyewitnesses reported that the boat suddenly capsized, sending everyone onboard into the rushing waters. Local divers have been tirelessly working to recover the bodies, and as of the latest update, eight bodies have been recovered. Rescue teams continue to search for the remaining passengers, though the death toll is feared to rise.
This devastating incident comes just months after a similar tragedy struck the Muwo Gbajibo River in the Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, where numerous lives were lost in October. Preliminary investigations suggest that none of the passengers on the ill-fated boat were wearing life jackets, which may have contributed to the high casualty rate.
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Just last week, five people died in a boat collision in the Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State. The collision involved two speedboats carrying family members returning from a burial ceremony. Like the River Niger disaster, many passengers were without life jackets, further exacerbating the tragedy.
Earlier this year, a similar tragedy unfolded in September in Niger State, when a boat carrying over 50 passengers capsized, resulting in the deaths of at least 24 people on their way to harvest crops.
Despite efforts by Nigeria’s waterways authority to regulate river travel—banning night-time navigation and enforcing rules against overloading—these regulations are often ignored, contributing to the persistence of such accidents.
