At least 27 people died, and over 100 others, mostly women, are missing after a boat capsized on the River Niger in northern Nigeria on Friday, local officials confirmed.
The vessel, carrying about 200 passengers, was traveling from Kogi state to Niger state when it sank, according to officials.
Local authorities and divers have recovered 27 bodies but found no survivors as of Friday evening, said Kogi state emergency spokeswoman Sandra Musa. Rescue operations were delayed as crews struggled to locate the site of the incident.
While the cause of the capsizing remains unconfirmed, reports suggest the boat may have been overloaded. Overcrowding is a common issue in remote regions of Nigeria, where inadequate road infrastructure makes water travel essential.
Frequent boat accidents in Nigeria highlight challenges like poor enforcement of safety regulations, lack of maintenance, and insufficient life jackets, raising concerns about water transport safety in Africa’s most populous nation.
