Disobedience caused Kebbi boat tragedy: FG
The federal government says the disobedience of the ill-fated Kebbi boat operator that capsized on its way to Niger resulted in the drowning of dozens of passengers.
“The boat involved is a wooden boat which is old and very weak. But these people will not listen when we sensitised them to reduce the number of passengers they are carrying with the boat,” said Yusuf Birma, Area Manager of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) in Yauri.
According to the NIWA official, the operator loaded the boat with 180 people, including 30 Bajaj motorcycles, lamenting that the agency warned boat operators to stop overloading.
The victims from Kebbi were going to a market in the neighbouring Borgu local government area in Niger. The boat broke into two when it capsized, the official added.
Peoples Gazette gathered that out of the 180 passengers on board the boat, 156 people were still missing, 20 rescued, and four bodies found.
Most of the passengers were women and children.
The incident came weeks after a boat capsized in Shiroro local government area in Niger, claiming no fewer than 28 lives.
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