13 dead & dozen missing as Nigeria boat capsizes with 100 passengers

Thirteen people were confirmed dead and many more missing after a boat ferrying around 100 passengers capsized on Saturday in Niger State in north-central Nigeria as they headed to market, officials said.

Yusuf Lemu, an official of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, said 26, mostly women and children, were rescued from the wooden boat.

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Local official Isiyaku Akilu said the boat driver, who was among those rescued, could not confirm the number of passengers on the boat. “The exact cause of the accident is yet to be determined, but from all indications, it appears to be due to overloading,” said Akilu.

Adamu Ahmad, a member of the boat drivers’ union, confirmed that the boat was overloaded. He said it was a large wooden boat and efforts are being made to recover more bodies.

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Niger State is also home to Nigeria’s three major hydroelectric dams, and boat accidents have become a frequent occurrence. Saturday’s incident occurred nine months after a boat carrying mostly women and children returning from a religious festival capsized and killed at least 60 people.

Akilu said rescue efforts were momentarily paused on Sunday to allow the custodian of the river to perform rituals that would ensure a “hitch-free rescue mission.”