At least 27 people have been confirmed dead, with many others still missing, after a Nigerian river ferry was capsized on Friday. The tragic incident occurred on Friday in Nigeria, adding to a series of deadly accidents on the country’s waterways. The officials told AFP of the latest in a series of mass drownings due to the country’s busy waterways. The Niger River, one of the largest in West Africa. It is over 600 meters (yards) wide at this point, complicating rescue efforts. The recent disaster took place on the […]
At Least 27 Killed, Many Missing After Boat Capsizes On Niger River In Nigeria
At least 27 people have been confirmed dead, with many others still missing, after a Nigerian river ferry was capsized on Friday. The tragic incident occurred on Friday in Nigeria, adding to a series of deadly accidents on the country’s waterways. The officials told AFP of the latest in a series of mass drownings due to the country’s busy waterways.
The Niger River, one of the largest in West Africa. It is over 600 meters (yards) wide at this point, complicating rescue efforts. The recent disaster took place on the Niger, near Dambo in Kogi state. It is located at the point where West Africa’s mightiest river can be more than 600 meters (yards) across as well.
According to Sandra Musa from the state emergency management agency. The exact number of passengers on board is still unknown, as there is no record-keeping of boat passengers. Sandra confirmed that 27 bodies had been recovered, but the search for survivors and more victims is ongoing. Kogi State Red Cross spokesperson, Abubakar Abdullahi, furthermore stated that the boat likely had over 50 people aboard.
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Local volunteers and villagers downstream have been asked to stay alert for any additional bodies. “It’s not clear what caused the accident,” Sandra Musa said, she further added, “It could be from turbulence or from the boat hitting a snag. Boat operators don’t usually have life jackets, so none of the bodies recovered had life jackets on.”
Boat safety is a critical concern, as the boat involved in the disaster may have been over 20 years old. It is important to choose a boat that has a typical lifespan of 5 to 10 years. The investigation is ongoing, and a clearer picture of the cause of the disaster is expected to emerge soon.
Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo expressed his deep sorrow over the incident, particularly highlighting that most of the victims were women, including traders and artisans, who were simply going about their work to support themselves and their families. He urged both private boat operators and local authorities to take immediate action to improve safety standards on the water. Ododo, said, “was particularly concerned that most of the victims were women, petty traders and artisans who are involved in legitimate business activities to earn a living and contribute to the economy of the state.”
This tragedy is the latest in a series of fatal boat accidents in Nigeria. Just last month, around 100 people were feared dead after a boat carrying 300 passengers, many of them women and children, to a Muslim festival in Niger State flipped over in the river causing another tragedy.
Earlier, in September, over 40 people died when an overloaded boat sank in Zamfara State. In June 2023, more than 100 people perished when a riverboat capsized in Kwara State. Thus making it one of the deadliest accidents occurring in Nigeria during recent years.
