Rescuers recover 13 bodies from Niger boat mishap, many still missing
By Aideloje Ojo , Minna
13 bodies of passengers in the capsized boat at the weekend in Niger have been recovered while many other people are said to be missing.
The Director General Niger State Emergency Management Agency NSEMA, Alhaji Abdullahi Baba Arah stated this on Sunday in an update on the incident.
He said, ” NSEMA can confirmed a boat mishap incident with 13 bodies recovered while others are still missing in Shiroro local government area of Niger state”.
The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday around 11:45 in river Kaduna near Kwata village while heading to Zumba market.
Witness account said the boat was loaded with goods and passengers capsized on their way to weekly market.
NSEMA has however raised the alarm over the rejection of boat owners and passengers to use life jackets even when such life saving facilities are available from government agencies.
According to the agency, “the Niger state government through NSEMA, National Hydro Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission N-HYPPADEC and NIWA among others have distributed life jackets to various riverine communities but enforcement the villagers and boat operators do not adhere to the rules. This is the reason for the high rates of casualties when boat mishap occurred”.
