More than 40 people are missing after a boat carrying at least 50 passengers capsized in Nigeria's northwestern Sokoto State, the country’s emergency agency says.

“About 10 persons have been rescued, while more than 40 passengers remain missing,” the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said in a statement on Sunday.

The boat was reportedly en route to Goronyo Market when it overturned.

NEMA Director-General Zubaida Umar said the agency launched an immediate response upon receiving initial reports of the incident.

Rescue efforts

NEMA’s operations office in Sokoto, in coordination with local authorities and emergency services, has intensified search and rescue operations to locate the missing passengers.

“The agency reassures the public of its commitment to saving lives, providing timely updates and coordinating all necessary support for the affected families,” the statement added.

Boat-related accidents occur frequently in Nigeria, as water transport remains a common form of transportation, especially in riverine rural areas.

In November last year, dozens of people died when a boat carrying nearly 200 passengers capsized along the Dambo-Ebuchi stretch of River Niger in north-central Niger State.

Nigerian authorities have mostly blamed tragic boat capsizes on overloading, poor maintenance, bad weather, and a lack of safety measures.