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At least eight people have been confirmed dead following a boat accident in the early hours of Friday along the Dambo-Ebuchi sections of River Niger.
Eyewitnesses say the boat, belonging to one Musa Dangana, was carrying over 200 passengers, including market women and farm labourers, on their way to the Katcha weekly market when it capsized.
The tragedy threw everyone on board into the water.
Local divers have been working tirelessly to recover the bodies of the victims, with eight bodies recovered so far.
Pointblanknews.com leant that search and rescue operations continue as authorities strive to locate the remaining passengers.
This disaster follows a similar boat accident on the Muwo Gbajibo River in Mokwa Local Government Area on October 1, 2024, which also resulted in many fatalities.
Preliminary reports suggest that none of the passengers were wearing life jackets, a factor that likely contributed to the high death toll.
Authorities have not yet issued an official statement, but an investigation is expected.