Over 40 persons have been reported missing after a boat mishap in Sokoto State.
The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, confirmed that it is searching for the missing persons.
In a statement, NEMA said that the boat, which was carrying more than 50 passengers to a market, capsized on Sunday morning.
“About 10 persons have been rescued, while more than 40 passengers remain missing,” NEMA added.
Boat accidents are said to be common on Nigeria’s waterways due to overcrowding and poor maintenance, especially during the annual rainy season when rivers and lakes overflow.
It will be recalled that in August 2024, no fewer than 16 farmers died in a similar accident when a wooden canoe carrying them across a river to their rice fields capsized in the same state.
Similarly, on July 29, at least six girls drowned after a boat taking them home from farm work capsized midstream in Jigawa State.
Two days earlier, about 13 people died in another boat accident in Niger State.
According to the Director General of NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar, the agency activated its response immediately after receiving reports that a boat conveying over 50 passengers to Goronyo Market had capsized.