At least 150 passengers are feared missing following a tragic boat accident in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, authorities have confirmed.
The vessel carrying over 300 passengers, including women and children—capsized during a Maulid celebration journey on Tuesday, October 1.
Abdullahi Baba-Arah, the Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), disclosed that rescue efforts are underway to locate more survivors, with over 150 people already rescued.
NSEMA received a report of a boat accident that occurred on the night of October 1, 2024, around 8:30 pm along River Niger, upstream of Jebba Dam, at Gbajibo Community in Mokwa LGA, Baba-Arah stated.
The boat, which was transporting about 300 passengers, mainly women and children from Mundi Community, was en route to Gbajibo for the Maulid celebration.
The passengers were reportedly travelling to attend the annual Maulid festival—a religious event commemorating the birth of Prophet Muhammad—when disaster struck.
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The cause of the accident remains unclear, but it occurred during the night while the boat was navigating the river.
Baba-Arah further explained that NSEMA coordinates rescue operations with the State Ministry of Transport, the Mokwa Local Government Emergency Committee, local divers, and community volunteers.
“Thanks to the swift response of the local volunteers, over 150 persons have been rescued alive so far,” he added.
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