KANO: More than 40 people are feared dead after an overloaded boat capsized on the Gummi River in northwestern Nigeria on Saturday, local authorities said on Sunday. The vessel, which was carrying 53 farmers to their fields, sank amid rising floodwaters in Zamfara State.
Na’Allah Musa, a political administrator in the flood-affected Gummi district, reported that only 12 of the passengers were rescued shortly after the incident. Rescue operations are ongoing, but the remaining passengers are presumed dead. Musa said that the boat was severely overcrowded.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu extended his condolences to the victims’ families and expressed the government’s sympathy for the “twin tragedies” of the boat accident and recent flooding in the area.
Tinubu also pledged support for the displaced persons, as over 10,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes due to the rising waters in Gummi.
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Boat accidents are a recurring issue in Nigeria, exacerbated by poor regulation of waterways and the challenges posed by the rainy season, which causes rivers and lakes to overflow.
In recent weeks, Nigeria has witnessed several similar incidents. Last month, an overloaded boat sank on the Dundaye River in neighboring Sokoto State, resulting in the drowning of 30 farmers.
Additionally, 15 farmers lost their lives earlier this month when their canoe capsized on the Gamoda River in Jigawa State.
