15 Killed In Niger Boat Accident

Fifteen people have been killed in a boat accident that occurred on River Malale in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) confirmed the incident to newsmen on Wednesday.

According to the Director-General of the agency, Mr Ibrahim Inga, the incident occurred at the weekend but they heard about it on Tuesday evening due to lack of communication.

He added that the reports gathered showed that the boat which was carrying 50 passengers capsized midway of the river.

The SEMA boss said while some survivors have been rescued, many others were still missing and search to rescue them was ongoing.

The victims were said to be returning from Warrah market, a border community in Ngaski Local Government Area of Kebbi State, to Sabo Yumu in Borgu Local Government when the accident occurred.

Poor visibility and overloading are believed to have been responsible for the accident.

Accidents on River Malale and other rivers in Niger State have been recurring during the peak of the rainy season, with scores of persons killed annually.

The latest boat accident on the river has raised the question of why the government has failed to put in place regulatory measures to checkmate activities of sea transporters, particularly in enforcing the use of safety jackets.

Mr Inga, however, said the government was working towards enacting such regulations to check the activities of boat operators and also address the challenges they face on the water.

He also gave assurance that the government would consider the possibility of providing life jackets in a bid to reduce the high casualties often recorded when there was an accident.