A passenger boat carrying an unspecified number of people has capsized in Zumba in Shiroro local government area of Niger State.
Several people, including women and children going from the Kwata Saturday market in Zumba, were said to have drowned during the incident.
The boat was said to be among the five that took off from the Nansa community around 10 am.
It was learnt that midway into the journey, the boat hit a tree stump and broke into two before capsizing.
The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Ahmed Ibrahim Inga confirmed the incident to newsmen.
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He said the boat was loaded with passengers and goods including foodstuff, other farm produce and livestock for the weekly market day.
He said that the number of passengers on board was unknown but added that during the rescue and search operation, one person was recovered dead while another victim sustained injuries.
He disclosed that the search and rescue operation was very slow as the communities around the scene of the incident have been described as bandits’ enclaves.
“I have not been able to speak to authorities of the Marine Police in that area of the State to ascertain the fact about the claims of those citizens saying that the passenger left their community in large number on board the boat,” Inga said
The Sarkin Ruwa, Umar Isa said that 49 people were rescued by local divers while three cattle were discovered.