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7 Traders Die, 136 Others Missing After Boat Capsizes Along River Niger

The Coordinator of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in-charge of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States, Alhaji Sulaiman Muhammad, confirmed this to newsmen in Ngaski yesterday.

No fewer than seven people died while seven others were hospitalised in Ngaski Local Government Area of Kebbi State, when a boat carrying 150 traders returning from Malali Market capsized along the River Niger.

The Coordinator of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in-charge of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States, Alhaji Sulaiman Muhammad, confirmed this to newsmen in Ngaski yesterday. 

He said that efforts were ongoing between fishermen and the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to rescue the missing passengers.

“As soon as we got the hint of the mishap, we put a call to the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority to help rescue the missing passengers.

“All the people on board were missing, but as rescue and search efforts commenced, we began to recover them. Fourteen people have been found; seven died and seven have been taken to Ngaski Hospital,” he said.

It was gathered that the accident occurred when the boat carrying 150 passengers hit a tree branch in the water and capsized. 

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