29 confirmed dead, others missing in Niger boat mishap

Tragedy struck in Niger State as the State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) confirmed the death of 29 people following a boat mishap in Borgu Local Government Area.

According to reports, the ill-fated boat, carrying about 90 passengers, capsized on its way from Tugan Sule in Shagunu Ward to Dugga, where the passengers — mostly women and children — were headed for a condolence visit.

The accident occurred at Gausawa in Malale area, leaving 29 people dead, 50 rescued, and two others still missing as of the latest update.

Authorities say rescue efforts are ongoing, while families of the victims have been thrown into mourning. The incident adds to the growing list of boat mishaps in Nigeria, raising renewed concerns about water transportation safety, particularly in rural communities that depend heavily on it for movement.

Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba Arah confirmed the incident, on Wednesday.

“We received a report of boat mishap incident at a community called Gausawa in Malale area/ward of Borgu local government area.

“According to our Desk Officer who leads the ‘search and rescue’ operations, the boat took off from a community called Tugan Sule in Shagunu Ward with 90 people on board which included women and children on the boat heading to Dugga for condolence visit,” he said.

He explained that the mishap was attributed to overloading and collision with a tree stump underneath the water while confirming also that the passengers did not wear life jacket despite government’s stand on such practice in the state.

Arah said 29 bodies have been recovered with 50 persons rescued alive while 2 other people were still missing.

The Director General said ‘search and rescue’ operations were still ongoing for possible recovery of missing persons.