Nine bodies of the passengers involved in the ill-fated commercial boat which capsized in Gbajibo area of Niger state have been recovered as at noon on Tuesday.
An update report on the mishap which occurred Tuesday night at about 8.30pm issued by the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) explained that the bodies of seven men and two women have been retrieved from the river.
The Director General of the Agency, Abdullahi Baba Arah, said rescue operations were still ongoing as local divers are combing the water.
Emerging reports also indicted that the Chief Imam of old Gbajiko is a victim of the accident caused by overloading.
According to eyewitness account, the boat was overloaded with night travellers going for Maulud from old Gbajiko in Niger state to New Gbajiko in Kwara state.
According to the eyewitness who pleaded anonymity, “the passengers were going for a Maulud from New Gbajiko in Kwara state to old Gbajiko in Niger state consisting all youths from Kwara state. All the Victims are from Kwara state”.
