Tragedy struck again in Kwara State on Thursday evening as 37 traders lost their lives in a boat accident in the Gbajibo-Mudi community, Kaiama Local Government Area.
This incident comes less than seven months after a similar mishap in the same area claimed over 200 lives.
According to local sources, the traders were returning to their homes in Niger State after attending the weekly market when their boat capsized around 6 p.m.
The vessel, which reportedly had a capacity of around 100 passengers, was overloaded. Rising water levels in the river may have contributed to the disaster.
Local leaders, including the Chairman of Kaiama LGA, Abubakar Abdullahi, and the Emir of Kaiama, Alhaji Muazu Omar, visited the site to offer condolences to grieving families and residents.
A former chairman of the local government, Mahmoud Gbajibo, confirmed the incident in a phone interview on Saturday.
“The accident happened at about 6 p.m. on Thursday,” he said. “The traders were returning from the Gbajibo-Mudi market to their communities in Niger State. So far, 37 bodies have been recovered, and several other passengers were rescued.”
He attributed the cause of the accident to overloading and the swollen river.
Attempts to get official confirmation from the Kwara State Police Command were unsuccessful. Calls and messages to the Police Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, and the Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, went unanswered.
Similarly, efforts to reach the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, were unsuccessful, as calls were not picked and messages remained unacknowledged.
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