At least 22 presumed dead after Nigeria boat accident

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LAGOS - At least 22 people are presumed dead after the boat they were travelling on capsized in northwest Nigeria, the country's emergency agency said Wednesday.

The boat was carrying about 50 farmers and traders to a local market when it foundered midstream in northwestern Sokoto state on Sunday.

Twenty-five people were rescued shortly after the accident by emergency workers, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said, and three bodies were found on Tuesday.

Twenty-two people remain unaccounted for, but rescue operations have ended, said NEMA's head of operations in Sokoto, Aliyu Kafindangi.

"Search and rescue has been called off because it's expected that after 24 hours, there is no chance of finding any survivors," Kafindangi told local broadcaster Channels on Wednesday.

Boat accidents are common on Nigeria's poorly regulated waterways due to overcrowing and poor maintenance, particularly during the rainy season when rivers and lakes overflow.

At least 16 farmers died in a similar accident in August 2024 when a wooden canoe carrying them to their rice fields capsized in Sokoto state.