At least 29 people have been confirmed dead following a boat accident in Gausawa community, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, on Tuesday morning.
The incident occurred around 11:30 a.m. when a boat carrying about 90 passengers, including women and children, capsized while en route to a neighbouring community for a condolence visit.
Preliminary findings attribute the accident to overloading and a collision with a tree stump in the water. Eyewitnesses reported that the majority of passengers were not equipped with life jackets, a factor believed to have worsened the fatality rate.
A source from the Ministry of Transport, who requested anonymity, said:
“The passengers were obviously not wearing life jackets, because if they had been, more—if not all—would have survived the accident.”
Authorities have yet to release an official casualty list, but local rescue efforts are ongoing, with survivors being treated in nearby facilities.
The tragic incident once again raises concerns about safety compliance and enforcement in Nigeria’s inland waterways, where overloading and lack of safety gear remain recurrent issues.
