Taraba: Many feared dead as boat with over 100 passengers capsizes

Over 100 people were in a boat when it capsized in the middle of the Benue River on Saturday.

It was discovered that the unfortunate boat carried traders, ladies, and kids who were travelling to Binnari town in the Karim-Lamido local government area of the state.

Many of the travellers were making their way back from the Ardo-Kola LGA’s Mayoreneyo fish market.

Around 3:30 pm, the boat departed from the Mayoreneyo municipal jetty, and 40 minutes later, reports say, it capsized.

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Musa Mayoreneyo, a Mayoreneyo native, informed Daily Trust that the passengers had previously been transported from Binnari to Mayoreneyo by the unfortunate boat.

“As I am talking to you now, only bodies of two persons were recovered by local divers,” a Binnari resident stated over the phone.

At the time of the event, none of the passengers had life jackets on, according to a source at the local jetty in Mayoreneyo.

About fifteen victims were found nearby, according to Jidda Mayoreneyo, the acting chairman of Taraba state’s inland water transporters.

The chairman of the Ardo-Kola caretaker committee, Dalhatu Kawu, confirmed the tragedy and called it unfortunate.