Many people were feared dead in a boat mishap on the River Shiroro on Saturday afternoon.
Sundry media reports said most of the deceased were women and children.
The incident reportedly occurred when a wooden passenger boat capsized near Zumba in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
Witnesses said the boat struck a submerged tree and split in two, throwing all onboard into the river.
Panic and confusion followed with passengers struggling to stay afloat in the fast-moving current.
“As soon as it hit the tree under the water, it just broke apart,” said a source near the Zumba market, who added that the boat was loaded with people and market-bound goods.
As of the time of filing this report, the exact number of casualties remained unknown but local divers had launched a frantic search-and-rescue operation.
The incident occurred a few days after the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) launched the lifejacket and safety awareness campaign tagged “No Life Jacket, No Boarding” across riverine communities in Niger state to reduce boat mishaps and enhance waterway safety.
None of the passengers was wearing lifejackets despite NIWA’s stand on zero tolerance over non-use of life jackets.
THE CONCLAVE reports that efforts are ongoing to recover bodies and search for possible survivors.
