33 dead, 30 missing as boat capsizes in Kebbi state
- A boat has capsized in the Niger River in Kebbi state
- The boat which was carrying 150 passengers reportedly capsized due to overloading
- 33 people have been found dead, 84 people rescued while the remaining 30 are still missing
Thirty-three people including children have reportedly died while 30 are still missing after an overloaded boat capsized in the Niger River in Kebbi state.
The boat carrying 150 passengers reportedly capsized due to overloading.
About 85 people were rescued alive while a search party is still looking for the remaining 30 people.
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The accident happened on Wednesday morning in the remote area of Lolo village, in Nigeria's Kebbi state, but details only first started emerging on Friday.
The boat had been carrying traders across the border from Gaya, in the Dosso region of Niger. They were planning to attend a village market in Nigeria.
The BBC news reports that a coordinator for Nigeria's National Emergency Management (NEMA), Suleiman Mohammed Karim, told pressmen that the boat had a capacity of 70 passengers but survivors said 150 people plus their goods were on board.
Referring to the remaining missing, he said: "Having spent two days on the water, we presume they are all dead."
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Meanwhile, the director-general, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Yunusa Maihaja, has urged state governments and stakeholders to prepare for eminent flooding following signals from the Niger Republic.
Maihaja made the call on Wednesday, September 13, in Abuja during a flood coordination meeting with government agencies, United Nations agencies and relevant stakeholders.
According to Maihaja, the meeting was organised to support planning and information sharing on priority areas of need to respond to the plight of affected communities.
Watch the video below to see victims of the Lekki flood speaking to Legit.ng TV crew:
Source: Legit.ng
