Following a Boat Capsize in Northern Nigeria, over 100 Persons are Missing
Authorities said on Wednesday that over 100 people, including women and children, were missing after an overcrowded boat carrying them back from an Islamic celebration at night in northwest Nigeria overturned.
About 300 people were on board the locally built boat, which had a 100 passenger capacity, when it capsized on Monday night in the Mokwa district of Niger state, according to the Niger State Emergency Management Agency.
Such boat mishaps are not uncommon in Nigeria, particularly in outlying areas where many residents lack access to alternate routes due to poor roads. Since mid-2023, there have been four tragedies in northern Nigeria involving over 100 passengers, many of whom were never found.
Under intense search conditions aided by local divers and volunteers, at least 150 people had been rescued by Wednesday morning, according to Abdullahi Baba-Arah, head of Niger state’s emergency services.
“There were about 300 people aboard the boat, even though it was only designed to hold 100 people. And that’s what caused the boat to break,” stated Salihu Garba, the state emergency services’ director of relief and rehabilitation.
According to experts, a growing number of boat accidents in Nigeria in recent years have been linked to regulatory shortcomings and are frequently caused by overloaded or badly maintained vessels.
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