Boat Carrying Over 200 Passengers Capsizes in Niger, 8 Bodies Recovered

A devastating boat accident occurred early on Friday along the Dambo-Ebuchi stretch of the River Niger, resulting in multiple fatalities. The boat, owned by one Musa Dangana, was carrying more than 200 passengers, including market women and farm laborers, who were on their way to the Katcha weekly market in Niger State.

Eyewitnesses report that the boat capsized, throwing all passengers into the water. Local divers have been working tirelessly in the search and rescue efforts, recovering eight bodies so far, with ongoing operations to locate the remaining passengers.

This tragedy follows a similar incident on October 1, 2024, when a boat capsized on the Muwo Gbajibo River in Mokwa Local Government Area, also resulting in significant loss of life. Preliminary reports indicate that none of the passengers aboard the boat in the current incident were wearing life jackets, which likely contributed to the high death toll.

Authorities have not yet issued an official statement, but an investigation is expected to determine the cause of the accident. Nigeria has witnessed several boat tragedies in the past year, with many incidents involving overcrowding and lack of safety measures.

Just last week, a boat accident in the Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State claimed five lives when two speedboats collided, throwing passengers into the water, most of whom were not wearing life jackets. In September 2023, a similar disaster in Niger State claimed the lives of 24 people who were on their way to harvest crops.

Despite regulations from Nigeria’s waterways authority banning night-time river travel and prohibiting overloading, many boat operators continue to flout these safety rules, leading to repeated accidents on the nation’s waterways.