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Nigeria: Dozens dead or missing after boat capsizes in river

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More than 100 passengers, mostly women, are still missing after a boat capsized on the Niger river. The search and rescue operation in ongoing.At least 27 people died on Friday after a boat capsized in the Niger River in central Nigeria.More than 100 others — mostly women — are still missing, authorities said.

Some 200 passengers were taking the boat across the river — which acts as a border between the states of Kogi and Niger — to a food market when it capsized, Ibrahim Audu, the Niger State Emergency Management Agency spokesperson said. None of the passengers were wearing life jackets.

The final toll is likely to increase, Kogi state authorities warned, as local divers were still looking for the missing and no survivor was found 12 hours after the incident.

Overcrowded boat

“It’s not clear what caused the accident,” Sandra Musa, spokesperson of the Kogi State Emergency Management Agency said.

“It could be from turbulence or from the boat hitting a snag. Boat operators don’t usually have life jackets, so none of the bodies recovered had life jackets on,” she said. Musa added that the age of the boat might have played a role.

Local media reported that the boat was overcrowded.

The Niger River reaches a width of more than 600 meters (almost 2,000 feet) in this part of its course. Authorities said rescuers had trouble finding the location of the boat for several hours after the incident occurred.

Authorities struggle to set safety measures

Drownings from overloaded, capsized boats are common in remote parts of Nigeria where there is a lack of good roads for transport.

Hundreds of people have been killed in similar incidents in recent years.

In June 2023, over 100 people diedwhen a boat carrying around 250 people sank in the state of Kwara.

The country’s authorities have tried but struggled to implement safety measures such as the use of life jackets, regular boat maintenance and refraining from onboarding people above capacity.

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Two women drown, die in Kano puddle

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Two women have tragically lost their lives in Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State after reportedly falling into a puddle while attempting to wash their bodies after work at a zobo processing factory.

The incident which occurred on Monday evening, was confirmed in a press release issued on Tuesday by the Kano State Fire Service Public Relations Officer, Assistant Chief Fire Officer Saminu Yusif Abdullahi.

According to the statement, the fire service received an emergency call at about 11:15 a.m. on Tuesday from the commander of a local vigilante group in Gezawa, who reported that the women had entered the puddle with the intention of washing their bodies after closing from work.

“According to their relatives, they are workers in a zobo processing company and entered the water with the intention of washing their bodies after closing from duty, which resulted in the loss of their lives,” the statement said.

Although a search for the victims began on Monday evening, their bodies were only recovered on Tuesday morning. They were found unconscious and handed over to Officer Musa Garba of the Gezawa Police Division.

The fire service did not release the names of the deceased, and further details surrounding the circumstances of the incident remain unclear.

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Pascal Dozie, Founder Of Diamond Bank Passes Away At 85

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The founder of the defunct Diamond Bank Plc, Pascal Gabriel Dozie, has died at the age of 85.

According to Business Day, Dozie passed away in the early hours of Tuesday, April 8, 2025.

His death came just a day before his 86th birthday, following a battle with an age-related illness.

Dozie was best known as the founder of Diamond Bank, one of Nigeria’s most innovative financial institutions before its merger with Access Bank.

He served as the bank’s chairman before handing over leadership to his son, Uzoma Dozie.

Dozie is survived by his wife Chinyere Dozie, and five children among other relatives.

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Security forces foil kidnapping in Katsina, one civilian killed

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A kidnapping attempt was foiled in the early hours of April 5, 2025, in Gidan Yan Ali, Kurba Village, Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State, after security forces engaged armed bandits in a fierce gun battle.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the assailants believed to be part of a larger criminal network stormed the village around 11:45 p.m., setting corn stalks ablaze and attempting to abduct women and livestock.

Prompt deployment of security personnel led to a swift response, forcing the bandits to flee into the nearby bush.

During the confrontation, a villager identified as 40-year-old Murtala Dayyabu Sidi was shot and killed by the attackers.

The intervention of security forces ensured the safe rescue of the kidnapped women and the recovery of stolen animals, which were returned to their rightful owners.

Investigations into the attack are ongoing.

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