Boat Capsizes In Niger With 150 Mawlid Celebrants Missing

Tragedy struck on Nigeria’s Independence Day as no fewer than 150 Mawlid celebrants were reported missing when a boat conveying 300 people capsized at Gbajibo village in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State.

It was gathered that the victims, mostly women and children, left Mundi Community for Gbajibo to mark Mawlid when the boat capsized midway during the trip on Tuesday, October 1, 2024.

According to eyewitness accounts on the incident, local divers swung into action immediately in a bid to rescue some of the passengers alive.

Competent sources disclosed that the accident occurred around 8.30pm a short distance away from the victims’ destination and this was confirmed by Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Alhaji Abdullahi Baba Arah.

Alhaji Arab, who could not give account on whether lives were lost in the incident, said; “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 Local Government

“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”.

The NSEMA boss said over 150 persons have so far been rescued, even as the search and rescue operation was still ongoing to rescue more victims.