Report by ALIYU LAWAL; Editing by BASIRAT MEMUDU
The Director General of Niger State Emergency Management Agency-NSEMA, Alhaji Abdullahi Baba Arah says thirteen bodies have been recovered while others are still missing following a boat Mishap that occured in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger state.
He stated this in a statement issued to newsmen in Minna, the Niger state capital.
It was reported that the incident occurred around 11:45am yesterday around Kwata heading to Zumba market when a boat loaded with goods and passengers capsized on their way to a weekly market in Zumba.
The statement which was issued to newsmen by the Director Information and Special Duties, Dr Ibrahim Hussaini, notes that the driver and few passengers were rescued with one of them been admitted at the General Hospital Kuta who has been discharged.
He however explained that the number of casualties are yet to be ascertain as search and rescue operations are still on going by the NSEMA desk officers, local divers and volunteers in the community.
It could be recalled that the Niger state government through NSEMA, National Hydro Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission N-HYPPADEC and NIWA among others have distributed life jackets to various riverine communities but there was no enforcement, hence the high rates of casualties any time boat mishap occurred.
