Boat capsizes in Nigeria leaving at least 24 dead

Boat disasters, mostly caused by overloading, are common in Nigeria. Representational pic/AFP

A boat capsized in north-central Nigeria early Sunday, killing at least two dozen people and leaving many others missing amid a frantic rescue effort, emergency officials said.

The victims, mostly women and children, drowned while travelling on the wooden boat in Niger in the Mokwa district. The boat was carrying more than 100 passengers, according to Zainab Sulaiman, head of Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency in the state, suggesting that the death toll could be much higher as local divers searched for survivors. "So far, they retrieved 24 corpses … and rescued 30 people," Sulaiman said.

Boat disasters are common in many remote communities across the West African nation where locally made boats are used for transport.

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