Niger
22 drown as boat capsizes in Niger. A boat tragedy in Niger State claimed the lives of 22 passengers on Monday.
The victims were claimed to be traveling from Kasabu village in Niger State’s Agwara Local Government Area to Yauri in Kebbi State on Monday morning when the boat capsized due to severe rain and wind.
A search and rescue team had only retrieved six bodies as of Tuesday night, including that of a Kebbi preacher from Niger State.
The majority of the casualties were on their way to the Monday Market in Yauri, Kebbi State, when the event occurred, according to the Niger State Emergency Management Agency.
The spokesman for NSEMA, Hussaine Ibrahim, said most of the victims were believed not to have worn lifejackets.
“We received a report from our desk officers in Agwara of the boat incident that occurred on Monday between 11am. and 12am.
“Since morning, there has been serious rain there and it has made it difficult for the search and rescue team to achieve much results.
“They have been in the water since morning; the rain has been making things difficult. Our man on the ground said they recovered more bodies today.
“They have been on the water since morning but the rain disrupted the operation. They recovered four bodies in the morning today and recovered two this evening. The victims are from Niger State but one of them is from Zuru in Kebbi State,” Ibrahim said.