Over 40 passengers were feared dead after a speed boat conveying traders capsized on River Niger at Bagana in Omala Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Tribune Online reliably gathered that the incident happened around 9:12 pm on Sunday, when the canoe conveying over 47 passengers capsized.
According to the source, victims were mostly traders and natives of Umaisha town, who were returning to Umaisha in Nasarawa state after attending a local market in Bagana in Kogi state.
It was learnt that the speed boat crashed into a tree in the middle of the river and suddenly capsized.
The source added that all the occupants including women and children on board got drowned.
“They were actually returning from Bagana, village market through the river Niger back to Umaisha when the boat hit a tree in the middle of the river and suddenly capsized,
some corpses had been recovered, while a rescue operation was still ongoing,” the source said
meanwhile, the Ohimegye of Opanda-Umaisha Kingdom, His Royal Highness Alhaji Usman Abdullahi, confirmed the incident to newsmen on Monday.
He said those affected were people from his kingdom, including some Hausa traders and scavengers who were returning from the Bagana market to Umaisha.
“I am yet to get details and the total number of people involved in the canoe accident. It was one of the people in my palace who called to inform me about the incident while I was away,” he said.
The monarch, however, said he will get back to our reporter after he arrived home and get details of the casualty involved in the incident.
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