At least 150 passengers are believed to be missing following a recent boat accident in the Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State.
It was learnt that the tragic incident involved a boat that was transporting over 300 individuals, predominantly women and children, which capsized during a journey to celebrate Maulid on Tuesday.
The passengers were reportedly en route from Mundi Community to Gbajibo Community for the Maulid festival when the tragic incident occurred.
The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Alhaji Abdullahi Baba-Arah, confirmed the event in a statement issued on Wednesday, stating that rescue operations are currently in progress to find additional survivors.
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Baba-Arah indicated that NSEMA received notification of the boat accident that took place on the evening of October 1, 2024, at approximately 8:30 pm, along the River Niger, upstream of the Jebba Dam, near Gbajibo Community in Mokwa LGA.
He said: “The boat, which was transporting about 300 passengers, mainly women and children from Mundi Community, was en route to Gbajibo for the Maulid celebration.
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“NSEMA is coordinating search and rescue operations in partnership with the State Ministry of Transport, Mokwa Local Government Emergency Committee, local divers, and other community volunteers.
“Thanks to the swift response of the local volunteers, over 150 persons have been rescued alive so far.”
Baba-Arah, however, assured all that the search and rescue operation was ongoing, with further updates to be provided to the public as more survivors are located.
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