The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) on Monday said death toll from Sunday boat mishap in Mokwa Local Government Area has risen from 24 to 30.

Alhaji Garba Salihu, NSEMA Acting Director-General, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Minna.

He said the agency had so far rescued 30 persons in Gbajibo area where the incident occurred.

” Yesterday, I told you that we have recovered 24 corpses, but that same day it later increased to 26 dead bodies.

” Today we recovered four more corpses, making 30 in all,” Salihu said.

The Acting Managing Director said 27 of the deceased were women, while three were male children.

He dispelled a rumour making the rounds that 100 passengers boarded the ill fated boat.

“For now, no body knows the number of passengers on that boat. Many people entered the boat so knowing the actual number of passengers on board will be difficult,” he said.

He said that the agency had stopped searching for the victims of the boat mishap, pending when the need arises.

According to reports, the victims and residents of Gbajibo, Ekwa and Yankyade communities were on their way to their farms at the other side of River Niger (old gbajibo), when the incident occurred.