Abubakar Dakingari, a spokesman for the Kebbi state government, has revealed that at least six persons have been killed and twelve others are missing in a boat mishap in Kebbi State on Wednesday, February 7, 2018.
He confirmed that the incident happened when two canoes collided on Tuesday, February 6, 2018, on the River Niger.
“Two canoes were carrying more than 78 passengers. Six persons have been confirmed dead while 12 are still missing and over 60 were rescued,” Dakingari said.
Dodo Sani, head of the Kebbi State Emergency Management Agency, confirmed the incident and death toll to Anadolu Agency.
Boat mishaps are notorious in many riverine areas of the country, with experts blaming operators for not adhering to safety rules such as embargo on night travels.
Last September, 53 people were killed in a similar mishap on River Niger.
At least 33 Nigerians died from April 2017 to October 2017 in three boat accidents on the River Niger in Yauri Emirate of Kebbi State.
The last two accidents occurred in the area over five months after the Nigerian Senate passed a resolution urging the federal government to urgently implement some measures that could have prevented the accidents.
The first accident occurred in April 2017 when a boat ferrying traders to Warra in Ngaski Local Government Area of Kebbi State from Malale market in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State capsized and killed nine persons. Officials had also declared 25 of the passengers missing after 26 of them were rescued. Initial reports had stated that about 150 passengers were crammed into the boat for the ill-fated trip.
