A boat carrying passengers returning from a wedding capsized, leading to more than 100 fatalities.
The incident happened on the Niger River near Kwara state in Nigeria, in the early hours of Monday, June 12, with authorities searching for survivors. Police spokesman Okasanmi Ajayi reported that the boat capsized near Niger State and, based on the information available, there were 103 confirmed deaths.
The victims, which included women and children, had attended a wedding in the village of Egboti in Niger state. Local resident Usman Ibrahim confirmed the heartbreaking news. He revealed that the passengers had planned to use motorbikes and bikes to reach their respective communities after disembarking from the boat.
The accident occurred around 3 am local time, but many people remained unaware of the incident until several hours later. The passengers hailed from the villages of Kpada, Egbu, and Gakpan in Kwara. Sources suggest that at least 64 people were from one village and about 40 from another.
Most passengers, it was revealed, were not wearing life vests or any protective gear. Tragic events like this are not uncommon at the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers. In May 2021, a boat sank in the same area, resulting in approximately 160 fatalities.
