The Sokoto office of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has announced that 81 bodies have been recovered following the boat mishap that occurred in Wara, Ngaski LGA of Kebbi state.

The unfortunate incident took place early on Wednesday, May 26, when the boat carrying over 150 passengers left Loko Mina in Niger State at about 7.30 am and was heading to a market in Kebbi State  according to Mary Noel-Berje, a spokeswoman for the Niger State government.

The wooden boat capsized near Wara, a town on the shores of Kainji Lake, part of the Niger River, said Yahaya Sarki, a spokesman for the governor of Kebbi.

While 22 persons were rescued alive, more than 100 persons were feared to have drowned in the incident.

According to a statement from the Sokoto NEMA office, as of Thursday, 59 bodies had been recovered from the river. It has now been updated to 81.