*10 family members, 15 others feared dead in the accident
*Boat was said to be carrying unspecified number of passengers to Kwata Zumba market
*13 bodies have been recovered, buried according to NSEMA Information Director, Hussaini
*He said number of casualties could not be confirmed as search, rescue operations were ongoing
By Our Correspondent with agency report
No fewer than 25 people, including 10 family members, are feared dead after a boat was reported to have capsized in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
The Director of Information and Special Duties, Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Ibrahim Hussaini, in a statement on Sunday, said that the boat, carrying an unspecified number of passengers and farm products to Kwata Zumba Market, capsized mid-river on Saturday.
Hussaini explained that the boat operator and a few passengers were rescued, with one currently undergoing treatment at the General Hospital in Kuta.
Speaking further, he noted that the number of casualties could not be confirmed as search and rescue operations were ongoing.
“The agency received a report of a boat mishap which occurred yesterday. A boat loaded with commodities and an unknown number of passengers heading to Kwata Zumba market capsized along the route,” Hussaini said.
The traditional leader of Zumba, Ruwa Umar Isah, also confirmed the tragic incident, estimating that around 25 people died.
He revealed that one family lost 10 members, while another reported that five of their relatives were missing.
Meanwhile, in a later development, the NSEMA Director General, Abdullahi Baba Arah confirmed that 13 bodies have been recovered from the unfortunate boat accident that occurred in Shiroro local government of Niger State on Saturday.
Baba Arah, confirmed this development to newsmen on Sunday, as he disclosed that the victims have been buried.
The agency also confirmed that 39 Passengers were in the boat at the time of the incident, and 26 passengers were rescued.
“39 passengers were in the boat when it capsized. 26 of them were rescued. 13 passengers died, including eight women, three men and two children,” Baba-Arah said.
It would be recalled that in April this year, 37 people were reported dead after a passenger board suffered a mishap on the River Niger.
Earlier in the month, NSEMA said emergency disasters claimed more than 500 lives between September 2024 and May 2025 in the state.
