At least 24 people lost their lives and 30 others were missing after a boat capsized in Nigeria on Sunday. The majority of the dead were women and children who drowned while travelling on a boat in Mokwa, Niger province.
Zainab Suleiman, the provincial head of Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency, stated that there were over 100 passengers on the boat, and it is feared that the death toll could increase further. During the rescue operation, 24 bodies have been recovered and 30 people have been saved.
This incident is similar to a previous accident in June where a boat carrying people returning from a wedding capsized, resulting in 100 deaths and many missing. Boat capsizing incidents are common in many remote communities in Nigeria, where locally made boats are usually used for transportation.