River Niger Boat Tragedy: 54 Bodies Recovered, Many Still Missing

Rescue teams recover 54 bodies from the River Niger boat tragedy as search efforts continue for the many passengers still missing after the disaster.

At least 54 bodies have been retrieved following a tragic boat accident on the River Niger, which involved around 200 traders in Kogi State.

Justin Uwazuruonye, the Head of Operations for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Kogi State, provided the update on Saturday.

Uwazuruonye stated, “As of today (Saturday), the number of recovered bodies stands at 54 according to reports from the Kogi State Emergency Management Agency, Red Cross, and NEMA. These individuals were found deceased.”

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We attempted to find out if they could provide the manifest, but they informed us that there wasn’t one. Without a manifest, we can’t determine the exact number of passengers on board. Additionally, it was a nighttime journey and none had life jackets.

The incident that took place on Friday was confirmed by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).

Suleman Makama, the Head of NIWA’s Media Department, stated that the traders were en route to a market in Niger State when their boat overturned along the Dambo-Ebuchi section of the River Niger.