ABUJA, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The death toll has risen to 32 after a passenger boat capsized earlier this week on the Niger River in central Nigeria's Niger State, a senior official said Friday.
Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris, on behalf of the Nigerian government, expressed sadness "with a heavy heart" over the "tragedy" in a statement released on social media platform X, the first by any top government official since the accident on Tuesday, when a wooden passenger boat carrying people on a condolence visit overturned in the Gausawa community of Borgu Local Government Area.
Idris noted that the incident occurred barely four months after devastating floods wreaked havoc in the state. "The federal government, through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), will provide the necessary support to the victims' families and survivors, working closely with the Niger State government to ensure prompt relief and assistance."
Earlier on Friday, a spokesman for the NEMA told Xinhua by telephone that 30 bodies had been recovered, and 58 survivors rescued following intensified search efforts, adding that at least two more bodies were still being sought while confirming that the boat was believed to have been carrying about 90 passengers.
The boat was reportedly overloaded and collided with a tree stump, according to preliminary investigations by local authorities.
Idris commended the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, which led the response to the tragedy, for its swift rescue operation.
Emphasizing that people ought not to embark on boat journeys without wearing life jackets, the minister called on citizens to prioritize safety when traveling on inland waterways.
The Nigerian government has also directed the National Orientation Agency to mount a massive nationwide sensitization campaign to raise public awareness on safety measures when using inland waterways, he added.
