The Official says the boat departed from Tungan Sule in Shagunu ward with 90 people on board and was en route to Dugga for a condolence visit.

A boat mishap has claimed 29 lives in the Gausawa community of the Malale ward of Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

Abdullahi Baba-Arah, director-general of Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), disclosed this in a statement in Minna on Wednesday.

He stated that the incident occurred on Tuesday at approximately 11:30 a.m., adding that the boat was carrying 90 passengers, including women and children.

He stated that the boat departed from Tungan Sule in Shagunu ward with 90 people on board and was en route to Dugga for a condolence visit.

He stated that the boat collided with a tree stump, which led to the tragic incident.

He said 29 dead bodies have been recovered, with 50 persons rescued alive, while two people were still missing, adding that search and rescue operations were ongoing.

"As of the time of filling this report, 29 dead bodies have been recovered, with 50 persons rescued alive, while 2 people are still missing.

"Overloading and collision with the tree stump are believed to be the causes of the mishap," he said.

The latest boat accident is the second such tragic incident in Niger State in recent times.

This newspaper reported a similar boat mishap in the state in July, which claimed the lives of at least 25 people, including 10 members of the same family.