The Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority has revealed that 76 corpses have so far been recovered after a boat carrying over 160 passengers capsized in Tshohuwar Labata village in Ngaski Local Government Area of Kebbi State on Wednesday.
The Area Manager of NIWA in the state, Birma Yusuf, who disclosed this on Friday, said search operation was still ongoing as more corpses were expected to be recovered.
The corpses recovered reportedly floated to the shore of River Niger near where the boat mishap occurred.
Recall that around 10am on Wednesday, a boat ferrying about 160 persons, mostly artisans, miners and traders, from Niger State, to Warra in Kebbi State, capsized. About 150 of the passengers were said to have drowned in the mishap
Yusuf expressed grief concerning the authority’s poor equipment for rescue mission, saying the authority had capable hands for rescue operations but no equipment.
He also pled with the Kebbi State Government to help the authority with water boats in order to upgrade their operation capacity.
“So far 76 corpses have been recovered. We always blame the boat operators for overloading and using of old boats,” he said.