At least, 14 bodies have been recovered from the Zumba-Guni River in Niger State following a boat mishap involving locals fleeing from bandits.
A resident in the area, Michael Madaki, told our correspondent that the bodies of four children and nine women had been recovered while search for the remaining bodies was ongoing. Meanwhile, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello has directed the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) to immediately commence a search and rescue operation for the remaining bodies of the victims.
The governor, in a statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Mary Noel-Berje, described the incident as “disturbing and painful” and directed the agency to also provide succour for the remaining fleeing villagers.