103 wedding guests die in Kwara boat mishap

No fewer than 103 people, including a father and his four children, who were returning from a marriage ceremony, lost their lives in a boat accident at Egbu village, in the Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State, on Monday when the boat that was transporting them capsized.

The spokesperson for the Kwara State Police Command, SP Ajayi Okasanmi, who confirmed the incident, said in an update on the boat accident in Patigi that 103 people died.

Though the Kwara State Police Command could not yet give details of the incident, the Transition Implementation Committee Chairman, Patigi LGA, Alhaji Mohammed Ibrahim Liman, said that about 110 passengers reportedly died in the accident.

Liman, while quoting from a statement by one Alhassan Bala Mohammed, a community leader in the area, said, “About 110 people died in the boat mishap in our area. We’re going to tell you about the tragedy and unforgettable memory that occurred to my people from our village and other neighbouring villages close to us.

“Our village people went to a wedding ceremony in another village called Gboti and the boat carried about 270 people, and almost 110 people were lost.”

Liman said from their record, 61 villagers from his village, Ebu, died in the incident; 38 from Gakpan; four from Kpada, two from Kuchalu and one from Sampi.

“This is an unforgettable memory and tragedy in the history of our village,” he said.

Meanwhile, the state governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has expressed sadness over the unfortunate incident.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, the governor commiserated with families of the victims and members of the community where the incident occurred.

The statement read, “The Governor is sad to receive reports of the boat accident involving several people, particularly residents of Ebu, Dzakan, Kpada, Kuchalu, and Sampi — all in Patigi.

“The Governor sends his heartfelt condolences to the people of these communities and those from other states. He prays to Almighty Allah to repose the souls of the victims.”