103 wedding guests die as boat capsizes

Police Command in Kwara has confirmed that 103 persons died in a boat accident at Egbu village, in the Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara.

The Spokesperson of the Command, SP Ajayi Okasanmi, confirmed the incident on Tuesday.

The deceased reportedly met their end after the boat conveying them while returning from a marriage ceremony capsized.

The tragic incident has cast an ominous cloud of sorrow and despair on the village.

Okasanmi said the names of the survivors would be published soon.

The Transition Implementation Committee Chairman, Patigi, Alhaji Mohammed Liman, put the number of passengers that died in the accident at 110.

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.”

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