LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has said 17 bodies were recovered by rescue operators after a boat carrying 104 persons capsized in Taraba State.
This is as the Government agency disclosed that 12 persons had also been rescued.
Recall that the boat capsized on 28 October, with over 100 people mostly local traders including women and children returning from the Mayorenero fish market in Ardo – Kola Local Government en route to Binnari in Karim – Lamido Local Government all in Taraba State.
Speaking to BBC Hausa on Monday, the Director of Emergency Services at NEMA, Bashir Garga, said rescue operations are still ongoing.
The acting chairman of inland water transporters in Taraba, Jidda Mayoreneyo, also disclosed to journalists that six of the victims were buried yesterday in Mayoreneyo.
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He said the families of the victims have granted the association approval to bury them.
He added that other victims were buried at Binnari where the boat reportedly capsized.
Jidda stated further that four more bodies recovered were buried at the riverside after approval was granted by their families.
Speaking on the incident, Saidu Audu, a resident, said he was at the local jetty when the boat left Mayoreneyo with many people and a heavy load.
“Apart from people inside the boat, there were new motorcycles, bags of cement, bundles of sugarcane, and other items,” he disclosed.
Another resident, Dauda, also said that the boat operators usually overload their boats with passengers and load, and there is no government agency to regulate their operation.
He said, “It is difficult to give the actual number of casualties and those who survived because there was no record of the actual number of passengers on board.”