Chairman of Bagudo Local Government Council in Kebbi, Mr Muhammad Zagga, confirmed on Thursday that no fewer than 53 traders were feared dead in a boat mishap on River Niger in Bagudo, Kebbi State.

Zagga, in a phone interview, said the traders were going to a market when the incident happened.

“Majority of the traders are from Gaya Village in Niger Republic.

“They were going to a market in Lolo when their boat capsized,” he said.

Zagga said that out of some 100 passengers on board the boat, 47 were rescued while others could not yet be accounted for.

The chairman said that authorities in Niger Republic had deplored 500 divers to search for the missing people.

Also commenting on the incident, Acting Director-General of Kebbi State Emergency Management Agency, Mr Abbas Rabi’u, described the incident as unfortunate and disastrous.

“The victims were mostly traders from Niger Republic,” he said.

NAN