At least 46 people, mostly children, died when a boat capsized in Nigeria's Sokoto state.
At least 46 people, mostly children, died when a boat capsized in northwest Nigeria's Sokoto state. The accident occurred on Thursday morning as passengers, primarily farm owners and laborers, were traveling to work on a rice harvest. Abdulkadir Yusuf, a manager at the National Inland Waterways Authority, confirmed that approximately 40 of the victims were children. Nasiru Adamu, a lawmaker at the Sokoto state legislature, noted that the victims were mostly aged between 10 and 15 years old, while 16 people were successfully rescued. Rescue operations are ongoing in the remote Gorau area of Goronyo. Local officials and emergency services are heading to the site to recover the remaining missing persons. While boat accidents are frequent in Nigeria due to overcrowding and poor maintenance, authorities have recommended measures such as providing life jackets and training boat operators. However, many of these safety measures have not been fully implemented or enforced across the country's waterways.