A boat carrying mostly farmers capsized on a river in northwest Nigeria, drowning at least 40 people, President Bola Tinubu said last Sunday.
The tragic event occurred in Zamfara State as farmers were attempting to reach their farmland. In his statement, President Tinubu pledged support for the affected families and instructed emergency agencies to investigate the incident thoroughly.
Zamfara police spokesperson Yazid Abubakar informed a Western media outlet that while five individuals (according to other reports — six) were rescued, 40 people remain unaccounted for. The total number of passengers on the boat at the time of the incident is still unknown.
The boat was primarily transporting farmers who regularly use the route to sell their produce at local markets. Local residents reportedly say the boats are often overloaded.