No fewer than 150 Mawlid celebrants have been reported missing when a boat with 300 people on board capsized at Gbajibo in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State.
Daily Trust gathered that the victims, mostly women and children, left Mundi Community for Gbajibo to mark Mawlid when the boat capsized midway on Tuesday.
Local sources, who spoke to our correspondent on the incident, said local divers swung into action to rescue some people alive.
Daily Trust was told that the accident occurred around 8.30pm a short distance away from the victims’ destination.
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The Director General, Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Alhaji Abdullahi Baba Arah, confirmed the incident, but was silent on whether lives were lost.
“NSEMA has received a report of a boat mishap that occurred last night, 1st October 2024, around 8.30 pm. on river Niger upstream Jebba dam, at Gbajibo Community in Mokwa LGA. The boat was sailing from Mundi Community with a population of almost 300 passengers comprising mostly women and children for Mawlid celebration at Gbajibo.
“NSEMA is directing and monitoring search and rescue operations in collaboration with the State Ministry of Transport, Mokwa Local Government Emergency Committee, brave local divers, and other community volunteers,” he said.
Arah said over 150 persons had been rescued alive, saying that search and rescue operation was still ongoing to rescue more victims.
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