56 persons are feared to have died in a boat mishap involving market women and children going to Kwata market from Galadima village area of Shiroro local government area of Niger state. Blueprint learnt that about 60 passengers were onboard the boat when it capsised on Saturday and that only four persons had been rescued alive by yesterday. Witness account said the incident occurred due to rainstorm on that Saturday morning, and that the majority of the passengers did not survive.
Police Public Relations Offi cer of the Niger state police command (PPRO), DSP Babalola Adewole, confi rmed the incident but said the fi gure of death was yet to be ascertained. He said rescue team had been sent to the area by the Command from the state marine police unit, adding that information about the dead would become clearer when reports come from the unit. Also contacted, the Public Relations Offi cer (PRO) of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Malam Hussaini, said 60 passengers were on board the boat, adding that while four persons had been rescued, others were still missing and that rescue eff orts were ongoing
