Thirteen dead have been recovered following Saturday’s boat accident at Kwata on the way to Zumba market in the Shiroro Local Government Area, according to the Niger State Emergency Management Agency,( NSEMA).
The information received, said that the incident happened at approximately 11:45 a.m. when the boat carrying passengers and cargo overturned while travelling to a local weekly market.
In a statement released by Dr. Ibrahim Hussaini, Director of Information and Special Duties, NSEMA Director General Alhaji Abdullahi Baba Arah revealed the number of casualties..
Director General of NSEMA, Alhaji Abdullahi Baba Arah, disclosed the casualty figure in a statement issued by the Director, Information and Special Duties, Dr Ibrahim Hussaini.
Recall that the driver of the boat and few passengers were earlier rescued, with some of them admitted in General Hospital Kuta and later discharged.
According to the NSEMA director general, the number of casualties is yet to be ascertained as search and rescue operations are still on going by the agency’s operatives, local divers and volunteers in the community.
It would be recalled that, in a bid to forstal frequent boat accidents in the state, Niger State government through NSEMA, National Hydro Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission, N-HYPPADEC, and the National Inland Waterways Agency, NIWA, among others, had distributed life jackets across various riverine communities.
However, failure by boat owners and travellers to use the life jackets – despite enforcement – has contributed to high casualty rates during such incidents in the state.
