A tragic incident on Wednesday claimed the lives of at least 20 people when a wooden boat caught fire and exploded on a river in Bayelsa, a coastal state in Nigeria, according to a police spokesperson.
Bayelsa police spokesperson Musa Muhammed reported on Thursday that the boat was carrying traders transporting goods to various coastal communities. These traders typically make weekly trips between these settlements and the state capital, Yenagoa.
Boat accidents are a frequent occurrence in Nigeria, with at least 200 fatalities reported last year alone. Authorities often attribute these accidents to overcrowding and poor maintenance of vessels.