Dozens of People Feared Dead in Kogi Boat Mishap

Over 100 people, mostly women are feared dead following a boat accident in Kogi, North Central Nigeria on Friday. The women, numbering over 200 passengers to a food market in neighbouring Niger state, capsized along the River Niger.

Confirming the accident, spokesperson for the Niger State Emergency Management Agency spokesman Ibrahim Audu, confirmed the incident, adding that at least eight of the victims have already been confirmed dead even as local divers are still continuing with search and rescue efforts.

The incident has also been confirmed by the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, noting that no fewer than 200 market women from Kogi State were involved in the mishap.

According to the Head of Media Department, NIWA, Suleman Makama, who confirmed the victims were on their way to the market in Niger State Friday morning when it capsided along the Dambo-Ebuchi sections of the River Niger, killing "...a yet-to-be-ascertained number of the women."

“It’s true that there was a boat mishap on Thursday involving quite a number of women going to the market in Niger State. We are still investigating to ascertain the number of people involved as well as what led to the accident.” Makama said.

Eye witnesses say the boat which was on its way to the Katcha weekly market in nearby Niger State was overloaded, which apparently caused it to tilt and capsized. It is said to belong to one Musa Dangana.