At least 33 persons, including women and children, have reportedly drowned after a boat carrying over 50 passengers capsized on River Kaduna in Niger State.
The boat reportedly capsized between Danchitagi village in Lavun Local Government and Gbara, Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State on Friday night.
Multiple sources told our correspondent on the telephone that some passengers were traders returning from a weekly Danchitagi market while others were returning home after attending a wedding ceremony in the neighbouring communities.
Goods worth millions of naira were also reportedly lost in the process.
Villagers told bellnewsonline.com that 17 out of over 50 persons in the boat had been rescued so far as rescue operations continued.
“For now, out of over 50 passengers in that boat, only 17 people have been rescued alive. We believe the rest are no more alive because they have been in the water for several hours. The water level is also high now because of rainfall. We are still doing our best to look for the remaining people. But the chance of their survival is not assured,” One of the local divers said.
Unknown Gunmen Attack EbubeAgu Checkpoint In Ebonyi
Unknown gunmen numbering about three operating on motorcycles at about 8pm on Friday night opened fire at operatives of Ebonyi State security outfit, EbubeAgu Security Network, who mounted a roadblock along the Hausa Quarters axis of the Abakaliki-Afikpo Expressway in Abakaliki, the State capital.
It was learnt that at least one person was shot by the attackers.
An eyewitness and a resident of the area who spoke to LEADERSHIP on the ground of anonymity said that the gunmen stormed the checkpoint and immediately shot sporadically at the direction of the EbubeAgu operatives.
The eyewitness said that trouble started when at about 8pm, men of the State security outfit stopped a young man with a motorcycle along the Hausa Quarters Junction and impounded the motorcycle.
The eyewitness disclosed that the young man pleaded with the security operatives to let him go since he was just coming back from work and that he never meant to come back late but the security men insisted that he must give them some money before they will release his motorcycle.
“I stood there listening to their conversation. Suddenly the owner of the motorcycle shifted from their sight and started making calls. I overheard him telling the person he was calling that men of EbubeAgu impounded his motorcycle and were requesting money from him before they will release it to him.