No fewer than 28 persons died in boat mishaps in Niger and Taraba states over the weekend.
In Niger, 25 died in Shiroro local government area yesterday afternoon when the victims were going to the Zumba weekly market, according to Daily Trust.
A traditional leader, the Sarkin Ruwa Zumba, Umar Isah, said the casualties were about 25.
He said the victims were traveling from Guni in Munya to the market in Shiroro when the boat hit a log.
He said the driver did not know the number of passengers in his boat, but a family lost 10 members while another reported that five of its members were yet unaccounted for, just as many others who were traveling from Guni to Zumba market.
In related development, a boat carrying vehicles and passengers to cross the River Namnai along Jalingo-Wukari Highway in Gasol local government area of Taraba State capsised on Friday with three persons losing their lives in the incident.
LEADERSHIP gathered that vehicles and luggage belonging to the passengers also sank in the incident which occurred around 7:45pm on Friday.
Chairman of Gasol LGA, Hon. Abubakar Sadique, and chairman of Taraba State Inland Water Transporters, Jidda Mayoreniyo confirmed the incident while speaking with our correspondent on the phone.
Our correspondent also gathered that four vehicles and luggage worth millions of naira sank while drivers of the vehicles and owners of the luggage were seen looking helplessly while awaiting their properties.
Bodies of the deceased were identified and evacuated for burial at the time our correspondent visited the collapse bridge.
Rescuers were seen inside the water in search of the properties, while efforts were ongoing to evacuate the four vehicles from the river.
One of the drivers, Mallam Abdul Kaifa told our correspondent that this was the second time his vehicle would fall into the river since the collapse of the bridge last year.
“Last year September, exactly on the 17th, my vehicle fell inside this water, it took efforts of the youths to remove it for me within three days.
“Yesterday again, the same vehicle fell inside the water, when I removed it from the water last time, I spent not less than N340,000 to bring it back on the road, I’m yet to pay the debt, today, it falls into the river once again, I don’t know how am going to cope with the situation,” Kaifa said.
The Namnai Bridge collapsed in August 2024, causing hardship for the people of the area and travellers on the highway.
