No fewer than 150 people have been reported missing following a boat mishap near Warrah, a border town between Kebbi and Niger State on Wednesday.
The chairman of Warrah Local Government Council, Abdullahi Haruna, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria.
Mr Haruna said the accident happened on Wednesday at about 11 a.m.
The chairman however said 22 people who wore life jackets had been rescued from the mishap.
He assured that the rescue search was ongoing with a view to saving the lives of those missing.
The spokesman of the state Police Command, DSP Nafiu Abubakar, also confirmed the development, saying he would make public their findings.
An eye witness had earlier told NAN on the phone that the boat began sailing from Loko in Niger State with over 150 passengers.
The source said about 20 people had been rescued, including a baby boy, whose mother was yet to be found.
According to the source, the majority of the rescued passengers were confirmed to be residents of Warrah town.
“We are afraid that many people may have died from this mishap, because according to report the boat took off with over 150 persons and many are still missing.”
The source said many people came to the town from Niger State in search of their relations and loved ones.
