Over 150 people are missing after a boat carrying 300 passengers capsized in the Mokwa local government area of Niger State of Nigeria.
This incident occurred about a week after the Nigerian National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) distributed 33 fiberglass boats to nine states to help prevent boat accidents.
The boat capsized around 8:30 pm on October 1 on the River Niger near Jebba Dam, in the Gbajibo community.
According to the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), the boat was transporting mostly women and children to Gbajibo for a celebration.
NSEMA Director General, Abdullahi Baba Arah, reported that local volunteers managed to rescue over 150 people, and search and rescue operations are ongoing.
NSEMA is collaborating with the Ministry of Transport, local authorities, divers, and community volunteers to find more survivors and recover bodies.
The Niger State Government previously reported that 182 people have died in boat accidents in the past three years.
