The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has confirmed a tragic boat accident involving over 200 market women from Kogi State.

According to Suleman Makama, Head of NIWA’s Media Department, the incident occurred Friday morning when the women were traveling to a market in Niger State. The boat capsized along the Dambo-Ebuchi section of the River Niger, resulting in an unconfirmed number of fatalities.

Makama stated, “It’s true that there was a boat mishap involving a significant number of women heading to the market in Niger State. Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact number of people involved and the cause of the accident.”

Eyewitnesses reported that the boat, owned by one Musa Dangana, was carrying over 200 passengers, including market women and farm laborers, heading to the Katcha weekly market in Niger State. As of the time of reporting, eight bodies have been recovered, while search and rescue efforts continue to locate the remaining passengers.

Makama added that an official statement providing further details would be released once the management has granted clearance. When asked about the timeline for the statement, he said he could not provide a specific timeframe but promised to update reporters as soon as possible.