Shafaq News – Abuja

More than 40 people went missing after a boat carrying over 50 passengers capsized in Nigeria’s Sokoto state, the country’s Emergency Agency reported on Sunday.

In a statement, Nigerian authorities confirmed that around 10 passengers were rescued, while search and recovery operations continue.

Boat accidents are frequent in Nigeria, often caused by overcrowding and poorly maintained waterways, particularly during the rainy season when rivers and lakes swell.

These incidents have claimed dozens of lives across the country. Earlier this week, at least 13 people died in a boat accident in central Niger state, while the previous month saw six girls drown in Jigawa state when a boat transporting them home from farm work overturned.

Additionally, in August 2024, a wooden boat carrying farmers to rice fields in Sokoto capsized, killing at least 16.