At least 40 people missing and feared dead after boat capsizes in northwestern Nigeria

At least 40 people are missing and feared dead after a riverboat capsized in northwestern Nigeria.

The accident happened on Sunday around the Goronyo area in Sokoto state while the boat was taking passengers to a market, according to the country’s National Emergency Management Agency.

The agency said 10 people have been rescued as teams continue search efforts in the area.

Boating accidents are common in remote communities during Nigeria’s rainy season and are often caused by overloaded and poorly maintained vessels.

Last month, a passenger boat in north-central Nigeria capsized, killing at least 25 people.

At least 326 people died in boat accidents in Nigeria last year, according to a count by local media outlet TheCable.

Analysts say many boats operate without life jackets and blame weak enforcement by regulatory authorities.

By Rédaction Africanews