A boat carrying over 200 passengers from the Dambo-Ebuchi community in Kogi Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria, capsized on the River Niger early Friday morning.
The incident has so far claimed the lives of eight passengers, while many others remain missing.
The passengers, mostly market women and farm laborers, were en route to the popular Katcha weekly market in Niger State when the boat, owned by one Musa Dangana, developed a fault and sank shortly after departing from a local jetty.
According to Abubakar, a local resident, “The boat was carrying over 200 passengers when it sank early in the morning.”
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) confirmed the incident through its media head, Suleman Makama, who reported that rescue efforts are ongoing to locate the missing passengers.
As of now, the Kogi State police command has not issued an official statement, with Police Public Relations Officer SP Williams Aya unavailable for comment.
The tragedy highlights the persistent safety challenges faced by waterway commuters in the region, particularly during market days when boats are often overloaded.
