Niger, Nigeria – At least 60 people have been confirmed dead and dozens more rescued after a boat carrying over 100 passengers capsized in north-central Niger State, local officials said on Wednesday.
The vessel left Tungan Sule in Malale district around 11 a.m. local time (10:00 GMT) on Tuesday and was en route to Dugga on the Kainji reservoir. According to the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), the incident occurred near the Gausawa community in Borgu Local Government Area after the boat struck a submerged tree stump.
“The cause was attributed to overloading and collision with a tree stump,” NSEMA told the local newspaper Daily Trust.
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The passengers, including many women and children, were reportedly traveling to Dugga for a condolence visit. Abdullahi Baba Ara, NSEMA’s director general, said the death toll had risen to 60, while search and rescue operations were still ongoing to recover missing persons.
“Ten people have been found in serious condition, and many are still being sought,” Ara told Reuters. Sa’adu Inuwa Muhammad, the district head of Shagumi who visited the site, said the boat was carrying more than 100 people. “We were able to recover 31 corpses from the river. The boat was also recovered and removed,” he said. He added that four victims have already been buried in line with Islamic rites.
Boat accidents are common in Nigeria’s riverine communities, especially during the rainy season between March and October, when rivers overflow. Many incidents are linked to overcrowding, poor vessel maintenance, and lack of safety enforcement.
In August, more than 40 people were reported missing after a similar accident in Sokoto State, and later that month, another 25 passengers went missing when a boat sank in the same region.
Local leaders have appealed to the federal government for urgent intervention, calling for stricter safety checks, provision of life jackets, and stronger oversight of water transport operators.
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