Over 150 passengers are feared missing following a boat accident that occurred in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State.
The accident took place during a journey to celebrate the Maulid festival on Tuesday. The ill-fated boat, which was carrying over 300 passengers most of whom were women and children capsized, causing widespread panic and a large scale rescue operation.
The passengers were traveling from Mundi Community to Gbajibo Community for the Maulid celebration, a religious festival commemorating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, when the tragedy struck.
The boat capsized along the River Niger, near the Jebba Dam area, leaving hundreds stranded in the water.
Alhaji Abdullahi Baba-Arah, the Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), confirmed the incident on Wednesday and provided updates on the ongoing rescue efforts.
He explained that the accident occurred on the night of October 1, 2024, around 8:30 PM, along a stretch of the River Niger, upstream from Jebba Dam, at Gbajibo Community.
“The boat, which was transporting about 300 passengers, mainly women and children, departed from Mundi Community and was en route to Gbajibo for the Maulid celebration,” Baba-Arah stated.
“Sadly, the boat capsized, and many passengers are still unaccounted for. NSEMA is coordinating search and rescue operations in collaboration with the State Ministry of Transport, the Mokwa Local Government Emergency Committee, local divers, and community volunteers.”
The NSEMA Director General added that local volunteers, many of whom were first on the scene, played a crucial role in rescuing a significant number of people. “Thanks to the swift response from the local volunteers, over 150 people have been rescued alive so far,” he confirmed.
Despite these efforts, over 150 people are still missing, and the search and rescue mission continues.
Baba-Arah assured the public that all available resources are being deployed to locate and rescue any remaining survivors. He also stated that the agency would continue to provide updates as new information becomes available.
The tragic event has cast a pall over the Maulid celebrations in the region, and communities are now rallying together to support the rescue efforts. Emergency personnel and volunteers are working tirelessly in hopes of finding more survivors.
Photo Credit, Niger State, Map
