Rescue teams have recovered an additional 20 bodies from a tragic boat accident in Niger State, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths to 36. The mishap occurred on Tuesday when a wooden boat, overloaded with approximately 300 passengers traveling from Kwara State to an event in Niger, capsized at Gbajibo in Mokwa Local Government Area.
Local divers, alongside officials from the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), have been conducting ongoing recovery operations. NSEMA Director-General Abdullahi Baba-Arah confirmed the latest recovery and mentioned that 16 bodies—14 males and 2 females—were retrieved and buried on Wednesday.
Baba-Arah stated that the search and rescue mission continues as more passengers remain unaccounted for. Many victims were from Kwara State, particularly Kaiama Local Government Area, and families are mourning their losses.
Mahmud Gbajibo, a resident of the Gbajibo community, shared the profound grief of losing seven family members in the incident. “I lost two married nieces, three nephews, and two younger brothers who came for a naming ceremony,” he said. “We buried them on the Niger State side to avoid chaos back home in Kwara. Our women were devastated, running around in grief. The entire community has been paralyzed by this tragedy—no shops are open, and no one is cooking.”
Gbajibo highlighted the community’s urgent need for improved transportation to prevent similar tragedies, stating, “Many victims would not have taken the boat if we had motorcycles. We need better transportation to avoid overloading boats.”
Haron Yohana, who lost five family members, expressed his sorrow: “I lost my father, brother, and three nieces. I said goodbye to them, not knowing it was the last time. The tragedy happened in the night, unnoticed until another boat passed through the area.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed his condolences to the victims’ families and the people of Niger State. In a statement from his special adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President prayed for the souls of the deceased and called for an investigation into the frequent boat accidents in the region.
