At least 40 people have died after a boat capsized in Nigeria’s north-western Zamfara state, officials say.
The vessel overturned on Sunday in the Bakin Kasuwa River, near Uban Dawaki community in Gummi Local Government Area.
Zamfara’s governor, Dauda Lawal, described the incident as a “monumental disaster”.
His senior special assistant on media and publicity, Sulaiman Idris, told reporters: “We received the tragic report of a boat accident in Bakin Kasuwa River in Uban Dawaki ward, Gummi Local Government Area, resulting in the loss of over 40 lives.”
The governor has directed the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to launch an immediate rescue and recovery operation.
Mr Idris added: “The governor also directed the agency to take immediate action to assess the extent of the accident and provide urgent assistance.”
In response to the tragedy, the state’s commissioner for humanitarian and relief matters has been instructed to provide immediate aid to victims and their families.
“Governor Lawal also prays for the souls of the departed victims, grieved with their families, and assured of the state government’s commitment to prevent such occurrence in the future,” Mr Idris said.
The accident comes shortly after devastating floods in the same area destroyed over 2,000 houses and damaged farmland worth millions of naira.
Boat accidents are not uncommon in Nigeria, where safety regulations are often poorly enforced. Overloading and poor maintenance are frequently cited as causes of such incidents.
