Emergency officials have reported that a boat capsizing incident in north-central Nigeria on Sunday has resulted in the loss of at least 24 farmers, with dozens of others still unaccounted for.
The boat, carrying over 100 farmers to their fields on the opposite bank of the Niger River in Niger state’s Mokwa district, capsized, according to a statement from Garba Salihu, the head of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
“So far, 24 corpses have been recovered while over 30 have been rescued, as the operation is ongoing,” Salihu said.
“Over 100 persons were said to be on board the boat when the incident occurred.”
The statement did not indicate the cause of the accident.
Salihu stated that SEMA officials, collaborating with local divers, were actively engaged in search and rescue operations to locate the missing passengers.
Last Friday, an unfortunate incident occurred in northeastern Adamawa state, where a boat transporting 23 passengers capsized in Njuwa Lake, resulting in the drowning of 10 individuals, while three others remained unaccounted for, as reported by an emergency official to media.
The passengers, identified as traders from Rugange village, were en route to a market in the state capital, Yola, as stated by Mohammed Amin Suleiman, the head of the Adamawa emergency management agency.
Boat accidents frequently occur on Nigeria’s inadequately regulated waterways, primarily due to overcrowding and a lack of maintenance. This issue is particularly pronounced during the annual rainy season when rivers and lakes expand and flood.