In a devastating turn of events, a boat accident has rocked Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, claiming the lives of 13 passengers, while 26 others were rescued in a frantic emergency operation.
The wooden boat, reportedly overloaded with passengers and cargo, capsized around 11:45 a.m. on Saturday near Guni village, en route to Zumba.
Preliminary reports suggest the vessel succumbed to strong water currents and possible overloading — both common hazards during the rainy season, when rivers swell and become increasingly unpredictable.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday.
According to NSEMA’s Deputy Public Relations Officer, Malik Baba Suleiman, search and rescue teams recovered all 13 bodies, which included eight women, three men, and two children. The victims have since been buried in accordance with Islamic rites.
“The community is in deep mourning. This tragedy is a painful reminder of the dangers posed by unsafe water travel, especially during the rainy season,” Suleiman said.
Though the identities of the deceased have not yet been made public, the incident has left surrounding communities devastated, reigniting calls for urgent government action and stricter safety measures on Nigeria’s inland waterways.
This latest accident is part of a recurring tragedy in Niger State and other riverine regions across Nigeria. In November 2024, a boat carrying approximately 200 passengers from Kogi State to a market in Niger State also capsized, resulting in at least 27 deaths, with many more reported missing.
The Niger River, West Africa’s largest waterway, snakes through Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria, playing a critical role in trade and transportation. However, regulatory enforcement remains alarmingly weak.
Despite regulations by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) banning night-time sailing and criminalizing overloading, enforcement is often ignored or evaded.
Experts attribute this to a combination of economic desperation, inadequate regulation, and lack of safety infrastructure.
