Seven Die in Boat Mishap in Niger Community

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Three members of the same family are among the seven people that died in a boat mishap at Zhigiri village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State last Sunday evening.

Among those who died were two wives of one Mallam Muazu Babangida and one of his children. The identities of the others are yet unknown.

It was learnt that the accident occurred when the deceased were travelling to Dnaweto village for a naming ceremony in a boat.

So far, six of the bodies have been recovered from the river, while the remains of the seventh victim have not been found. The deceased have been buried according Muslim rites.

THISDAY learnt that the accident occurred because the travellers were not familiar with travelling on the river as the area used to be a dry land until the construction of the Zungeru Hydro Electric Dam which had created an artificial river in the area.

A statement by the Coalition of Shiroro Association signed by its spokesman, Walis Saba, made available to newsmen in Minna on Tuesday confirmed the incident.

“This is one of the social upheaval occasioned by the construction of the dam,” Saba said in the statement, urging HYPPADEC to “as matter of urgency respond to this devastating incident by providing safety measures including life jackets to the villagers”.

Also speaking on the issue, one of the Co-conveners of the Concerned Shiroro Youths, Yussuf Abubakar Kokki, described the incident as “very sad”, pointing out that the coalition has severally raised petitions to government on the dangers of the dam without any response.

Kokki threatened that the coalition will drag the government and the construction firm to court “if the needful is not done”.