Mr Yusuf Birma, NIWA area manager in Yauri Kebbi State,blamed the accident on overloading of the boat.
Birma said rescue operation is still ongoing but added that four people have been confirmed dead, 20 rescued alive while 156 people are still missing.
“The boat is carrying 180 passengers with 30 Bajaj motorcycles. The victims were going to a market in Malele in Borgu local government area of Niger state from Kebbi and the incident happened just one hour into their trip.
“We are still rescuing the victims; the mishap occurred as a result of overloading. The boat capacity is not up to 180 passengers it carried, as we speak, only 20 people have been rescued alive, four dead confirmed while the remaining 156 people are still missing and they are believed to be underwater,” he told reporters.
Speaking further on the cause of the mishap, Birma added that most of the boats are old and weak.
“The boat involved is a wooden boat which is old and very weak but these people will not listen when we sensitise them to reduce the number of passengers they are carrying with the boat, ” he said.
The Niger state emergency management agency also confirmed the incident, adding that it didn’t happen in their state.
