At least, 37 traders have perished in a boat mishap which occurred on Thursday in Gbajibo-Mudi community of the local government area of Kwara state.
The traders according to impeccable sources came to the weekly market and were returning home in Niger state in the evening on the fateful day when the accident occurred.
The sources said the boat which was about one 100-passenger capacity was overloaded while the accident was fueled by the overflowing river.
The chairman of Kaiama local government, Abubakar Abdullahi and the Emir of Kaiama, Alhaji Muazu Shehu Omar, were on ground to sympathise with the community.
A former chairman of Kaiama local government, Hon Mahmoud Salihu Gbajibo who confirmed the incident on Saturday said that 37 bodies were recovered from the river by the rescue team of the community.
According to him, “the boat accident occurred at about 6pm on Thursday after the traders who closed from the market in Gbajigbo Mudi and were returning to their various communities in Niger state when the tragic incident occurred.
“37 corpses were recovered from the river while many others were rescued from the river.
“The cause of the accident can be attributed to overloading of the boat while the water volume also contributed to it.
“Right now, the chairman of the local government and the Emir of Kaiama are in Gbajigbo Mudi community to sympathize with the people.”
Kwara state government on Sunday confirmed the boat accident which happened in Gbajibo River with 37 lives of traders lost last Thursday but claimed that the accident occurred in Niger state.
The Chief press secretary to the governor, Mallam Rafiu Ajakaye who confirmed the incident whike reacting to inquiry from newsmen on Sunday said that the accident happened in the Niger state territory adding that “all the 37 bodies recovered from the river were buried in Niger state.
“The accident happened on Thursday evening while the Traders who came to trade in Gbajigbo Mudi were returning home. It happened in Niger state and all the victims’ bodies recovered from the river were buried in Niger state, that was the reason we kept silent on it”, Ajakaye said.
It would be recalled that a similar incident occurred on October 4,2024, at Gbajibo when the boat carrying guests who went for Maulud celebration in Mokwa local government of Niger state capsized with over 200 passengers died in the accident while returning home.