Confirming the incident, the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) has confirmed that a boat sailing from Mundi community with 300 passengers capsized in Mokwa local government area of Niger state.
This is coming barely a week after the National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) distributed 33 fibreglass boats to nine States to prevent boat accidents.
It was gathered that the boat mishap occured around 8.30 pm on Independence Day on river Niger upstream Jebba dam, at Gbajibo Community in Mokwa Local government area.
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NSEMA said that the boat was sailing from Mundi community with 300 passengers comprising mostly women and children for Maulid celebration at Gbajibo.
The NSEMA Director General, Abdullahi Baba Arah, said the prompt response from community volunteers led to the rescue of over 150 persons alive so far adding that search and rescue operation was ongoing to locate more survivors.
He stated that NSEMA was working with the Ministry of Transport, Mokwa Local Government Emergency Committee, local divers, and other community volunteers to rescue any survivors and recover bodies of those who are deceased.
Niger Government last week informed 182 died due to boat mishaps across the State in the past three years.