Boat Mishap: 5 Farmers Feared Dead in Niger
Five farmers, comprising four men and a woman, are feared dead after the canoe conveying them to their farmland capsized while crossing River Kuji in Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State.
The Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba-Arah, disclosed this in Minna on Monday.
Baba-Arah said the incident occurred on the morning of Saturday, August 15, when the victims left Shaba Woshi village for their farmland located across the river.
He identified the victims as Yahaya Abubakar, Usman Abubakar, Lamin Hussaini, Baba Ahmadu and Salihu Aliyu, all residents of Shaba Woshi village.
According to him, the farmers travelled from their community to Katcha, where they boarded a canoe to cross River Kuji and access their farmland.
He said the canoe capsized while crossing the river, leaving the five occupants feared dead.
The NSEMA director-general said the incident had plunged the community into mourning, adding that efforts were ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the accident and determine the fate of the victims.
He said further information would be provided as search and recovery efforts progressed.
