At least, 50 people were feared dead as boat conveying passengers from Gaya town in the neighbouring Niger Republic enroute to Lolo local market in Bagudo local government area of Kebbi state capsized in the over fl owing River Niger.
Confi rming the incident to Blueprint in a telephone conversation, the council Chairman of Bagudo local government area, Alhaji Mohammadu Kaura Dan Hakimi, said the incident occurred at the early hours of yesterday.
He said the boat was carrying over 100 passengers from Gaya a border town in Niger Republic and was reported to had broken into two parts as a result of over loading and couple with speedy wave of river Niger.
Hakimi, who was at the scene of the incident disclosed that a rescue team was immediately mobilised to go on operation beneath the river and around its banks in search of victims which he said, 47 people were rescued, but said no dead body was recovered up to the time of fi lling in this reportAccording to him, he ordered for the evacuation of rescued victims to Illo General Hospital for treatments before the Nigerien government intervention hence all the victims were of Nigerien Nationale.
It would be recalled that some few days ago similar incident occurred as a result of a serious fl ooding of the River Niger that displaced over 100 households in Dole-Kaina Dandi local government area, which is barely fi ve kilometers away from the scene of yesterday’s mishap.
