Niger State’s Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has urged residents in riverine areas to always wear life jackets when boarding boats.
In addition, he cautioned them against traveling at night or getting on overloaded ships.
He said this in his statement to express his condolences to the Kwara State government and people on the boat accident that killed 103 people in certain towns in the state that borders the Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State.
The governor of Niger State expressed shock and worry at the tragedy, saying: “This is heartbreaking and sympathetic, but as people who believe in Allah’s will, we cannot question His actions, we will rather accept it and remain steadfast in Him.”
He praised the actions taken to rescue the victims by the acting director general of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) and the chairman of the Mokwa Local Government Council.
A boat carrying wedding guests capsized, causing the tragedy.
Between two and three in the morning, the victims were reportedly traveling from the Kwara State neighboring areas to the Egboti hamlet in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State.
The Patigi Emirate Council in Kwara State is home to the impacted communities, which include Ebu, Dzaka, Para, and Kpada.
While the rescue effort is still ongoing, no fewer than 33 dead bodies have already been found.