More than 40 missing after boat capsizes in Nigeria’s Sokoto

Officials accidental astir 10 radical rescued aft mishap successful African country’s northwestern region.

Rescuers are searching for much than 40 radical who are missing aft a vessel capsized successful Nigeria’s northwestern authorities of Sokoto, according to authorities.

Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said connected Sunday that its Sokoto operations bureau had deployed a effect squad to enactment rescue efforts pursuing the “tragic vessel mishap”.

NEMA’s manager general, Zubaida Umar, said the bureau responded aft “receiving reports that a vessel conveying implicit 50 passengers to Goronyo Market had capsized”.

NEMA said successful a connection shared connected societal media that astir 10 radical had been rescued, and much than 40 different passengers were missing.

Nigeria’s The Punch newspaper, citing a section official, said the mishap whitethorn person been caused by overloading, a recurring contented for boats successful the state’s riverine communities.

Boat accidents are communal successful Nigeria, peculiarly during the yearly rainy season, from March to October, erstwhile rivers and lakes overflow.

At slightest 16 farmers died successful a akin mishap successful Sokoto State successful August 2024, erstwhile a woody canoe carrying them crossed a stream to their atom fields capsized.

Last month, astatine slightest 13 radical died and dozens much went missing aft a vessel ferrying astir 100 passengers capsized successful Niger State, successful north-central Nigeria.

Two days later, six girls drowned aft a vessel taking them location from workplace enactment capsized midstream successful the northwestern Jigawa State.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies