At least 25 people are missing after a boat capsized in Nigeria’s northwest

By DYEPKAZAH SHIBAYAN
Associated Press

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — At least 25 people are missing after a boat capsized on a river in northwestern Nigeria, authorities said Monday.

The accident happened Sunday while the boat was carrying people to a market in Sokoto state, Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency said in a statement.

The agency said 25 people had been rescued.

Such accidents are common in remote communities during the rainy season in Nigeria. They are often caused by overloaded and poorly maintained vessels. Analysts say many boats operate without life jackets.

Last month, a boat transporting people to a market in north-central Nigeria capsized, killing at least 25.