Apprehension is mounting over the safety and fate of more than 200 people on board a boat that suffered mishap along the River Niger. The National Inland Waterways, NIWA, confirmed the accident in which most of the victims were described as market women from Kogi state.
The Head of Media Department of NIWA, Suleman Makama who confirmed the incident on Friday said that the Market women were on their way to a market in Niger State riding on a boat when it capsided along the Dambo-Ebuchi sections of River Niger, Killing yet to be ascertained number of persons.
“It’s true that there was a boat mishap on Thursday involving quite a number of women going to the market in Niger state. We are still investigating to ascertain the number of people involved as well as what led to the accident.” He said.
According to eyewitnesses, the boat, which belonged to one Musa Dangana, was carrying over 200 passengers, including market women and farm labourers, en route to the Katcha weekly market in Niger State.
As of the time of this report, eight bodies were said to have been recovered, while search and rescue operations continue to locate the remaining passengers.
Makama said that he was still waiting for clearance from the management before he issued an official statement where details of the incident would be provided.
It would be recalled that the Managing Director of the Nigeria Inland Waterways, NIWA, Mr. Bola Oyebanji has identified human errors, drugs, and disobedience to the rules and regulations as the major causes of boat mishaps that have occurred in the past three years .
Oyebanji disclosed this while fielding questions from the members House Representatives Committee on NIWA who were on oversight function to the Headquarters of the Authority in Lokoja on Wednesday. said that the NIWA was committed to the safety of the Nigerians using water transportation .
