At least 26 people have died and 14 remain missing after a passenger boat carrying farmers and fishermen capsized in northeastern Nigeria. The accident occurred late Saturday night as the vessel was traveling from Jigawa State to Yobe State, according to the country’s emergency services. Mohammed Goje, executive director of the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency, said rescue teams and volunteers have recovered 26 bodies so far and rescued 13 passengers alive. Search operations for the missing continue.
Boat accidents are common on Nigeria’s busy waterways, often caused by overloading, poor maintenance, and disregard for safety regulations. Each year, such incidents claim numerous lives across the country’s river transport routes.
Authorities have not yet provided further details on the cause of the latest accident or the total number of passengers on board.