Daniel Otera
What began as a routine Saturday trip to the Zumba market ended in mass tragedy for several families in Niger State. At least 25 people are feared dead after an overloaded wooden boat capsized midstream, wiping out a household of ten and leaving several others unaccounted for.
The accident occurred around midday between Guni and Kwata, two riverine communities in Munya and Shiroro Local Government Areas. Survivors said the boat struck a submerged tree trunk before flipping into the river.
“The boat was packed with traders and their goods,” said Umar Isah, Sarkin Ruwa of Zumba, who confirmed the scale of the disaster to Journalist “A family lost ten of their members. Another household is searching for five people. This is not the first time something like this is happening.”
The victims were mostly local traders en route to the Zumba weekly market, a lifeline for many farming families in the area.
Most had boarded the ageing wooden vessel with their wares early Saturday morning, unaware it would be their final journey.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) confirmed the incident. In a statement issued by Ibrahim Hussaini, the agency’s Director of Information and Special Duties, officials said the boat capsized around 11:45 a.m. while heading to Kwata market.
“Search and rescue efforts are ongoing,” said Mr Hussaini. “Some survivors have been pulled out alive, and one person is receiving treatment at the General Hospital in Kuta.”
Local divers, community volunteers, and emergency workers are still searching the waters for more bodies. However, rescue efforts are being slowed by poor visibility, strong currents, and the lack of a passenger manifest, making it difficult to determine the exact number of people onboard.
Boat accidents have become disturbingly routine in Nigeria’s riverine states, with Niger, Kwara, Kebbi, and Bayelsa among the worst affected. Overloaded, poorly maintained wooden boats remain the main transport mode in remote communities often with no life jackets, trained crew, or regulatory oversight.
In 2024 alone, at least 326 people were reported dead from boat mishaps across the country an 8.67 percent rise from the previous year, according to figures compiled by TheCable. Niger and Kwara States topped the chart with 92 and 90 deaths respectively.
One of the deadliest incidents happened in October 2024 in Gbajibo, Mokwa Local Government Area, where an overcrowded boat carrying nearly 300 passengers capsized at night. Seventy bodies were recovered, and around 150 people were rescued. Survivors later revealed that there were no life jackets and no lights on board both clear violations of the Inland Waterways Transport Code.
“This is not the first time we’re witnessing this kind of tragedy,” a rescue volunteer told The Nation. “People keep dying because nothing changes after each incident.”
Just a year earlier, in September 2023, another boat accident claimed over 30 lives mostly women and children in the same region. The victims were on their way to their farms when their wooden boat flipped midstream.
Experts say the root causes remain the same: no enforcement of safety codes, untrained operators, and zero accountability. The Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) did introduce a safety code in 2023, banning night journeys and mandating life jackets and proper manifests. But in practice, most remote jetties operate outside any official supervision.
“The law exists, but enforcement is paper-thin,” said maritime safety analyst Uche Obioma, speaking to The Guardian. “Until someone is held accountable, these deaths will continue.”
Back in Guni and Zumba, families are burying the dead without coffins or ceremonies. For many, the loss is beyond words and the silence from authorities, deafening.
“This is a preventable tragedy,” Mr Isah said. “Our people are dying because they have no choice. Until someone takes responsibility, it will keep happening.”
As of press time, there was still no official update on the final casualty figure. Locals believe the death toll may climb once all the missing are accounted for.