At Least 51 Dead in Nigeria Boat Capsize..."Mostly Children"

AFP and Reuters reported that a boat capsized in a river in Sokoto State, northwestern Nigeria, on the 20th (local time), leaving more than 50 people dead.

Ibrahim Musa, a former local councilor in the area, told AFP, "We have buried 46 people so far, and just recovered five bodies from the river."

The accident boat was reportedly carrying people going to work on farms from Gorau village in the Goronyo area of Sokoto State that day.

Local officials said that more than 80 people were aboard the vessel at the time.

A local councilor stated that 16 people were rescued at the scene.

Most of the victims are known to be children aged 10 to 15.

Abdulkadir Yusuf, a local official with the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) of Nigeria, told Reuters that the bodies of about 40 children had been recovered.

Samaila Garba, 55, a resident who lost his 13-year-old granddaughter in the accident, told the Associated Press, "During the rainy season, most children and women go to work on the farms."

Foreign media pointed out that boat accidents frequently occur in Nigeria due to excessive boarding exceeding capacity, poor vessel maintenance, and a lack of safety measures.

In January of last year, a similar boat accident occurred in Yobe State, northeastern Nigeria, resulting in at least 25 deaths.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.