A search for survivors continues after a wedding boat capsized in northern Nigeria, killing at least 150 people and more than 90 people are missing according to local news outlets.
Early on Monday morning, the boat capsized on the River Niger, close to neighboring Niger state, confirmed Kwara State police spokesman, Okasanmi Ajayi.
A local resident, Usman Ibrahim said: “The victims, including women and children were returning from an overnight wedding ceremony in the village of Egboti in Niger state.”
He added: “The boat was carrying more than 100 people when it sank”. The accident happened overnight 3:00 am in the early hours of June 12, and officials and locals are still searching for those missing.”
Speaking on the international news channel, Al Jazeera, reporter Ahmed Idris said: “Most of the passengers were not wearing any protective gear like life vests.”
Local daily Nigerian Tribune reported that the wedding guests were from Kpada, Egbu and Gakpan villages in Kwara state.
Police are yet to confirm how many people have died or how many were on the boat, which was reportedly overloaded.
Sources report boat accidents are common in many remote communities across Nigeria where locally made vessels are commonly used for transport.
Most accidents are attributed to overloading and the use of “poorly maintained” boats.
Sale of boats should be banned after all of the mass casualties that have occurred just since the beginning of Summer.