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Twenty-two people have been confirmed dead in the boat accident that occurred in Agaie LGA of Niger state.
Several persons were reported missing on Friday after a boat capsized along the Dambo-Ebuchi section of the River Niger.
Abdullahi Baba-Arah, director-general of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), in a statement on Friday, said the incident occurred around 2am on Thursday.
According to Baba-Arah, the boat, which was sailing from Kogi state to Katcha market in Niger, had about 50 passengers — mostly women — on board.
He said 22 bodies have been recovered so far, while eight persons were rescued alive.
Baba-Arah added that 18 of the deceased passengers were from Kogi, while four were residents of Akwanu community in Agaie LGA.
Search and rescue operations are ongoing, the director-general said.
None of the passengers reportedly wore life jackets.
The incident is the latest in a series of boat mishaps to hit Niger state.
In September, a boat accident claimed the lives of 42 persons in Gbajibo community, Mokwa LGA of Niger state.
On October 1, a boat conveying more than 200 persons went missing, with 150 passengers reportedly rescued.
