A devastating boat accident in Nigeria has claimed the lives of over 100 people, with dozens more missing.
The tragedy occurred on Tuesday, when a boat carrying hundreds of passengers capsized in the River Niger near the town of Mokwa.
Most of the victims were women and children, heading to celebrate the Muslim festival of Mawlid.
The boat was overloaded and traveling at night, both factors that contributed to the disaster.
As of Thursday, rescue workers had recovered 36 bodies and rescued 150 survivors.
However, with little hope of finding additional survivors, the focus has shifted to recovering the remaining victims.
The exact cause of the sinking remains under investigation, but authorities believe it was a combination of overloading and poor weather conditions.
Boat accidents are unfortunately common in Nigeria, due to the country’s poorly regulated waterways and frequent disregard for safety regulations.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed his condolences to the victims’ families and called for a thorough investigation into the incident.
He has also urged authorities to take stricter measures to prevent future tragedies.