The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed the death of 106 wedding guests in a boat mishap around the River Niger axis in Patigi Local Government Area of the state on June 12, 2023.
Over 50 dead passengers were retrieved from the disaster, which apparently threw the entire local government area into sadness.
It was also reported that a river wave grabbed control of the boat, causing it to collide with a tree and capsized, dumping numerous passengers into the river.
According to village sources, the dead had travelled from Kpada village to attend a wedding event in Egboti village.
Source added that the catastrophe was caused by the boat being overloaded.
A statement released by the spokesperson of the command, SP Okasanmi Ajayi, today June 14, says investigation shows that the boat was said to have conveyed about 250 people from a village called Gboti via Patigi after a wedding ceremony to Ebu Village and Dzakan Village, all within Patigi’s local government area. ‘
‘On leaving the shore, one part of the boat by the engine side collapsed where water penetrated the boat, which ultimately led to the boat capsizing.
‘All efforts to draw the attention of the villagers hosting the wedding ceremony for assistance by the persons in the boat proved abortive, leading to the deaths of about one hundred and six (106) people.
‘Among the casualties were people from Ebu Village with 61 casualties, Dzakan Village with 38, Kpada Village with 4 dead, and three (3) other casualties from Kogi State, putting the total number of casualties at one hundred and six (106) and the total number of rescued people at about one hundred and forty-four (144),’ he said.
Ajayi added that the state Commissioner of Police, share in the grief of the families of dead victims and prays that the souls of the departed rest in peace.
He further directed that the policemen on the rescue operation to continue in the effort while providing security for the rescued victims of the accident until they are fully recovered from the shock and trauma of the accident and handed over to their families.
