ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — At least 100 people, most of them women, were missing after a boat transporting them to a food market capsized along the River Niger in northern Nigeria, authorities said Friday.
The boat was taking the passengers from Kogi state along the river to neighboring Niger early Friday morning when it capsized, Niger State Emergency Management Agency spokesman Ibrahim Audu told The Associated Press.
At least eight people were confirmed dead at the scene while local divers were trying to rescue others, the local Channels Television reported, citing eyewitness accounts.
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Authorities have not confirmed what caused the sinking. However, local media reported that the boat was carrying more than 200 passengers, suggesting it might have been overloaded. Overcrowding in vehicles is common in remote parts of Nigeria where the lack of good roads leaves many with no alternative routes.
Officials in Kogi are yet to locate the exact location of the incident and were seeking assistance from other agencies, according to Justin Uwazuruonye, who is in charge of Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency operations in the state.
Such deadly incidents are increasingly becoming a source of concern in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, as authorities struggle to enforce safety measures and regulations for water transportation.
Most of the accidents have been attributed to overcrowding and the lack of maintenance of the boats, often built locally to accommodate as many passengers as possible in defiance of safety measures.
Authorities have not been able to enforce the use of life jackets on such trips, often because of lack of availability or cost.
