At least 60 people have died after a boat carrying over 100 passengers capsized in Nigeria’s north-central Niger State. The boat sank after striking a submerged tree stump on the Kainji reservoir while heading to Dugga for a condolence visit.
Women and children made up the majority of the casualties. The incident happened in Borgu local government area of Niger state.
Overloading and collision with a submerged tree stump has been said to be the cause of the sinking.With over 100 passengers on board, at least 60, with the number of casualties still rising.
Ongoing, with 10 people found in serious condition and many still being sought. “The cause was attributed to overloading and collision with a tree stump,” The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) told local newspapers.
” The boat was carrying more than 100 people, we were able to recover 31 corpses from the river. The boat was also recovered and removed,” Sa’adu Inuwa Muhammad the head of Shagumi who was at the scene immediately after the unfortunate occurence said.
Boat accidents are frequent in Nigeria’s riverine communities, especially during the rainy season, due to lax safety enforcement, overcrowding, and poorly maintained vessels.
A similar incident occurred in Sokoto State in August, where over 40 people went missing after a boat capsized due to overloading.
