Reports say over 100 people died in the boat accident in River Niger
Lack of safety measures including overloading, lack of lifejackets and lifeguards are remote reasons for the boat accident in Kwara state end of the River Niger two days ago. Various reports have put variant number of casualties. A survivor claimed 106 lives were lost as many women died trying to save their children.
The boat capsized after part of the vessel collapsed, causing water to flood the boat, police said.
Figures provided by local rescuers indicate that 144 people survived the boat accident.
One village in the Patigi local government area of Kwara state, where the incident occurred, had the highest number of casualties. Locals there say 61 died, mostly women and children.
Mohammed Alhassan, a survivor, said the women would not leave their children and so they drowned together.
“My sister was with us on the boat,” he told the BBC. “She survived but her seven-year-old son died”.
Aisha Mohammed, another woman who lost her three grown daughters in the accident said the girls were soon to be married.
Other survivors also described how many fathers hung on to some of their children while those they could not bring to shore died.
Some young men were however able to swim to safety after the boat broke in half.
Safety is one of the major concerns raised as many people did not have life jackets. Overloaded boats are common and travellers often don’t take safety precautions.