Speaking to a relation of one of the deceased who sought for an anonymity, said the incident occurred on Wednesday at 11am when the canoe loaded with about 50 persons was coming back from Patigi in Kwara State to Nupeko village in Niger State.

A majority of the passengers on board were coming back home after attending a wedding in a neighbouring village of Kwara State, he said. He said 30 persons were rescued and they have since been re-united with their respective families, saying a search for the three missing persons was still ongoing.

Daily Trust also learned that one of the dead persons identified as Abdullahi was a civil servant with the Niger State government, who was said to be on official assignment.

However, the immediate cause of the mishap is not yet officially ascertained but it was gathered that the canoe capsized shortly after hitting a log of wood in the over flooding river.

Contacted, Niger State commissioner of police Mrs. Desire Nsirim confirmed the incident, saying it occurred in Kwara State and that all the recovered dead bodies were taken there.