The Nigerian authorities announced today, Friday, that at least 76 people have died in a boat accident in the Niger River.
A spokesman for Nigeria’s Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Dakinjari, said authorities had recovered more than 70 bodies after their boat sank in the northwestern state on Wednesday.
“So far we have recovered 76 bodies while 22 people have been rescued. Divers are still searching for more bodies,” Dachingari said.
Residents and local authorities estimated that the wooden boat was carrying between 100 and 200 people at the time of the accident.
It was not clear what caused the splitting of the boat, which was heading from Niger state to the town of Wara in Kebbi state. But boat accidents are common in Nigeria, especially in the Niger River, and are often caused by overcrowding, poor condition or debris scattered under the surface of the water that boats usually hit.
Source: Agencies