At least 93 bodies have been recovered at Gwajibo community in Niger State, where a boat conveying about 300 passengers capsized on Tuesday.
LEADERSHIP gathered that all the 300 passengers on board the ill-fated boat were from Gwajibo Mudi community in Kaiama local government area of Kwara State.
Sources said the victims were going to the neighbouring Gwajibo community in Niger State for Maulud Nabbiy celebration when the incident happened.
The sources confided in LEADERSHIP that 93 bodies have so far been recovered from the river where the boat capsized.
LEADERSHIP gathered that four children who survived the incident were receiving treatment at the Primary Healthcare Centre, Gwajibo Mudi and are likely to be discharged on Friday.
A community leader and former member of the Kwara State House of Assembly from Kaiama local government area, Hon. Adamu Sabi, disclosed that the ill-fated boat had a carrying-capacity of 200 passengers but handlers overloaded it beyond its capacity.
“I wondered why the regulatory authorities allowed the boat with 200-passenger capacity to carry 300 persons and at night for that matter,” Sabi lamented.
Meanwhile, the Emir of Ilorin and chairman of Kwara State Traditional Rulers Council, Alh. Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has commiserated with the state government over the unfortunate incident.
Sulu-Gambari, in a condolence message signed by his spokesman, Mal. Abdulazeez Arowona, commiserated with the Emir of Kaiama, Alh. Omar Mu’azu, over tragic incident, which reportedly claimed the lives of 169 persons.
“The incident is regrettable, saddening and worrisome considering the number of victims and lives involved,” the Emir said.
The monarch, however, commended the state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, for promptly directing the state emergency management agency to join the humanitarian efforts at providing succour for the survivors of the incident and the families of other victims.
He appealed to the residents of riverine areas to always put on safety jackets while travelling on water as a precautionary measure.
