ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — At least 40 people have drowned in a boat accident on a river in northwest Nigeria, said President Bola Tinubu on Sunday.
The accident happened in Zamfara state, as farmers were trying to get to their land, said Tinubu in a statement. The president promised support for the victims and directed emergency agencies to assess the incident.
Yazid Abubakar, a police spokesperson in Zamfara, told The Associated Press the accident happened on Saturday and that five people were rescued, but 40 are still missing. It was not immediately clear how many people were on the boat when it went down.
The boat was carrying mostly farmers who use the crossing regularly to sell produce at the markets and locals say they’re often overloaded.
Zamfara state is rampant with armed groups who kidnap for ransom, steel cattle and engage in illegal mining.
Boat accidents are common in remote communities across Nigeria because of overloading and boats that are in poor condition.
In August, more than 20 people died in a boat accident on a river in southern Nigeria after the engine exploded.
Most boats don’t carry life jackets or have proper safety measures in place, say locals.
Dyepkazah Shibayan, The Associated Press