Kogi boat mishap leaves 20 dead, scores still missing

By Boluwaji Obahopo, Lokoja

A vessel mishap successful Kogi State has claimed 20 lives.

The mishap occurred connected River Niger, Tuesday astatine astir 4:30pm successful Ibaji Local Government country of Kogi State with galore others inactive declared missing.

An oculus witness, Mr. James Otoga who said that the bittersweet incidental occurred successful the evening of Tuesday.

According to him, the vessel afloat loaded with radical departed from Onugwa assemblage successful Ibaji heading to Ilushi market, capsized leaving galore radical dead.

“The vessel was afloat loaded with our radical going to marketplace for the archetypal of October celebration. Only 5 endurance person surfaced yet and 20 bodies person been recovered truthful acold and much of our radical are lying lifeless beneath the stream Niger.

“Even those who came for a burial successful Onugwa and were returning backmost to Ilushi were besides missing. We are yet to corroborate the fig of radical onboard and those who survived” helium stated.

Confirming the incidental the Chairman, Ibaji section authorities area, Hon. Ugeh Emmanuel done a telephone speech with journalists described the incidental arsenic the astir disastrous successful the past of the section government, saying galore radical person mislaid their lives successful the accident.

“As I americium speaking with you now, nary assemblage tin authoritatively accidental this is the existent fig of casualties. And again we tin not adjacent ascertain the fig of radical onboard close from their departure time.

“This is simply a precise superior accident, the vessel person not adjacent reached Ilushi erstwhile the mishap occurred astir 4:30pm. Most of the victims were moving to Ilushi for the cerebration of archetypal October which has been a contented successful the assemblage earlier they met their untimely death,” helium said.

Recalled that successful the past 1 twelvemonth determination was galore vessel mishaps successful Kogi, Niger and different riverine states wherever galore radical mislaid their lives.

The station Kogi vessel mishap leaves 20 dead, scores inactive missing appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.