Boat capsizes in Nigeria's Niger state and at least 25 people feared dead, authorities say

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ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — A boat transporting passengers to a market in north-central Nigeria capsized, killing at least 25 people, authorities said Sunday.

The accident happened Saturday near Gumu village in the Shiroro area of Niger state, Ibrahim Hussaini, an official with the National Emergency Management Agency, told The Associated Press.

Hussaini said search and rescue efforts were underway, but are limited because armed gangs mostly control the area. He added that the number of casualties may rise.

“Very few people can go to the scene because of banditry in that area,” he told the AP.

Armed groups, commonly referred to as bandits, have stepped up attacks in recent months in the north-central region, complicating rescue efforts.

The accident is the latest in a series of deadly boat accidents on Nigerian waterways, where accidents are common in remote communities, especially during the rainy season, due to overloaded and poorly maintained vessels.

In September last year, a boat carrying mostly farmers capsized on a river in the northwestern state of Zamfara, drowning at least 40 people.

At least 326 people died in boat accidents in Nigeria in 2024, according to a count by TheCable, a local media outlet.

Analysts say many boats operate without life jackets and blame weak enforcement by regulatory authorities.