100 others on board were missing in the mishap which occurred at about 2 pm.
The Public Relation Officer, Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Malam Ibrahim Hussaini, confirmed the incident to NAN in a telephone interview on Saturday.
Details were sketchy, but according to him the boat was filled with traders returning from Malili village back to Tunga Illo village across River Niger after the day’s market. It had over 150 passengers and capsized midway to its destination.
The spokesman said that local divers from Malili village had recovered 42 corpses, while about a hundred were still missing. He added that neighboring villages had been alerted to look out for floating corpses and efforts were being intensified to rescue possible survivors or the corpse of those drowned.
He said the recovered corpses would be given mass burial close to the river bank.
The Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Saidu Ndako, confirmed the boat mishap.
“We believe that the boat was overload because the boat’s capacity was put at 60 passengers, but over 150 passengers were said to be on board during the incident.
“The debris in the swollen river may also have been responsible for the incident,’’ He added.
Ndako said that the government condoled with those who had lost their loved ones, and pray that Allah grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
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