Twenty-two people have been confirmed dead in a boat mishap that occurred between Baro and Akwanu communities of Agaie Local Government Area of Niger State.
Confirming the incident, Abdullahi Baba-Arah, the director general of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) in a statement on Friday, November 29, said the boat was heading to Katcha market when the incident occurred.
He noted that the boat also sailed from Ebe Community in Kogi state with about 50 passengers on board.
According to Baba-Arah, the incident occurred around 2.00 a.m. on Thursday.
He said that staff of NSEMA, Agaie Local Government Emergency Committee, local divers, and other community volunteers, had been directing search and rescue operations.
So far, 22 bodies have been recovered from the water while eight people were said to have survived the unfortunate incident.
He also stated that 18 people out of the bodies recovered are from Kogi state while the remaining for persons were inhabitants of Akwanu community in Agaie LGA in Niger.
Baba-Arab said that the search and rescue operation was still ongoing to locate more survivors.
He assured that more information will be made public as they unfold.
