15 people die in Kebbi boat accident

At least 15 people have been confirmed killed in a boat accident in Koko Besi Local Government Area, Kebbi State.

Local government chairman Yahaya Bello told BBC Hausa Service that rescuers recovered the 15 bodies between Wednesday and Thursday.

He said about 80 people were saved from the crash. He said the victims were returning from the farm when the overloaded boat broke in two.

Residents said rescuers were still searching for missing people Thursday morning.

Boat accidents are common in the North West region of Nigeria, mainly due to overloading. River transport is largely unregulated in the region, forcing operators to load their boats beyond their capacity. They also rarely provide life jackets to commuters.

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In May 2021, a boat capsized in Ngaski local government, killing over 100 people, mostly women and children.

In this incident, around 160 people were traveling from Niger State to the nearby Wara community in Nagasaki Local Government Area in Kebbi State before their boat capsized.

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