"The boat was not supposed to carry more than 100 persons, but there were almost 300 people on it. And that was what resulted in the breakage of the boat," said Salihu Garba, director of relief and rehabilitation at the state emergency services.
"The search and rescue operation is still ongoing to locate more survivors," Abdullahi Baba Arah, head of Niger State Emergency Management Agency, said.
At least 150 people were rescued by emergency workers and volunteers in a frantic search operation. Additionally, 11 bodies, nine men and two women, were recovered from the river.
This is the fourth fatal boat accident in northern Nigeria since mid-2023. The lack of adequate roads in the region makes boat usage more common, with accidents often attributed to poorly maintained boats or overcrowding.
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