A boat accident in Niger State has left at least 29 people dead after a wooden vessel capsized along the Malale–Kainji Lake route on Tuesday morning.
Eyewitnesses said the tragic incident happened at about 11:49 a.m. near Gausawa in Borgu Local Government Area.
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) confirmed that its rescue team arrived at the scene around 1:33 p.m., where they began recovery operations.
The ill-fated wooden boat was reportedly carrying 138 passengers when it sank along the Shagunu–Dunga axis of Kainji Lake. According to NIWA, 46 men, 58 women, and several children were rescued with the aid of life jackets.
Sadly, 27 bodies have been recovered so far. Eight were found on Monday, while another 19 were retrieved on Tuesday.
Akapo Adeboye, the Manager of NIWA’s Niger-Kwara Area office, said the wooden boat had since been removed from the water, while search operations continue for more victims.
The operation was coordinated by NIWA’s New Bussa Substation Office with support from NIWA River Marshalls, the Nigerian Shipowners Forum on Waterways (NIGSBOFWA), security agencies, and community leaders.
Adeboye said the collaboration shows a strong commitment to water safety and preventing future accidents.
Community leaders and local boat operators have also pledged to work with NIWA to enforce safety rules and reduce the risk of future mishaps.
Nigeria has witnessed a disturbing rise in boat accidents over the past year. In August, a boat carrying more than 50 passengers to a market capsized in Sokoto State.
While 10 people were rescued, over 40 others went missing, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
That same month, 16 farmers died in Sokoto after a canoe taking them to their rice fields capsized. Earlier in July, six girls drowned in Jigawa State after a boat transporting them from farm work sank.
Just two days before that incident, at least 13 people died in another boat accident in central Niger State.
Most of these tragedies have been linked to overloading, poor regulation, and the use of unsafe wooden boats.
NIWA has repeatedly warned against such practices, urging operators to adopt modern and safer vessels.
As rescue efforts continue on Kainji Lake, authorities have urged Nigerians to prioritize safety when traveling by water.
For many rural communities, boats remain the only means of transport, but without strict safety measures, the risk of more tragedies remains high
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