11 women from same family, others die in boat accidents

Barely one year after a boat mishap in Borgu Local Government of Niger State claimed 38 lives, another boat accident has occurred in River Sarkin Power, claiming 14 lives.

The victims were 11women of the same family from Dan Gunu village. Another three persons from Guni village also died in a similar accident in River Guni.
The disasters occurred in the two different rivers when the villagers were returning from farm on Monday evening.

It was gathered that the women had gone to the farm to harvest groundnuts before the incident occurred. Only two people survived the mishap.
According to an eyewitness, while the villagers in Dan Gunu village were mourning stheir beloved ones (11of them), a report of similar incident came from a neighbouring village of Guni which claimed the three lives.
Some of the victims were identified as Munau, Wara, Fiddausi, Zainab, Najaatu, Ikilima, Fatima, Ladidi, Balaraba and Hafsat.

In a condolence message, the Senator representing Niger East District, David Umaru, described the incidents as shocking and unfortunate, adding that the disasters have brought to the fore the sufferings and hardship of the people of the area as a result of the activities of the Shiroro Hydro Dam.

Umaru, in whose constituency the disasters occurred, lamented alleged lack of roads and bridges in the area. “This has shown the urgent need and necessity for the immediate takeoff of the HAPPADEC commission,” he said.
The lawmaker explained that life has been made difficult for the people in the area with the “disastrous and perennial flooding since the construction of the dam”, adding that nothing has been done to make the people cope with their displacement.