A pregnant woman, Ramatu Mamman, her two year-old son, Saminu and seven other persons passed away during a boat mishap in Niger on Monday, the Director General of the State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Alhjai Ahmed Inga has said.
The deceased were said to have boarded the boat from Shata Sabo in Shiroro local government area when it capsized midway into their journey to Shata Soho in Bosso local government area, killing nine of its 11 passengers at about 10 am.
Among those who lost their lives according the Director General were a mechanic, one John Moses and two of his apprentices, Khalifa Danladi, 14 and Ubale Usman 16.
The trio were said to be based in Nangawu community also in Bosso local government area and were going to repair a broken down vehicle when they met their untimely death.
The other passengers on the ill-fated boat, Alhaji Inga explained, were one Malam Muhammad Safir of Fulani extraction whose age could not be immediately ascertained; Malam Salihu Aliyu, and a 72 year-old man simply referred to as Maikadi.
Alhaji Inga said two of the passengers including the boat’s driver whose identity could not be ascertained, survived the accident but that the driver is in critical condition.
Alhaji said even though the load was beyond the capacity of the boat which he explained was very small, he attributed the cause of the accident to flood wave. “They were already on the water when flood wave hits the boat forcing it to capsize”, he noted.
He said local divers were moblised to the scene shortly after the accident but only the remains of the pregnant Ramatu was recovered with her son strapped to her back.
He said divers are still searching for the reaming passengers.
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