Over 100 Killed As Overloaded Boat Carrying Wedding Guests Capsizes In Nigeria

Over 100 people have been killed after an overloaded boat capsized in Nigeria's north central region while returning from a wedding ceremony.

At least 103 people, including children, have been killed after an overloaded boat returning from a wedding capsized in northern Nigeria, officials said Tuesday. Rescue operations are underway as residents and police were still searching for dozens of people who were on the overcrowded boat that capsized early Monday on the Niger River in the Pategi district of Kwara state, police spokesman Okasanmi Ajayi told the Associated Press. He said 100 people had been rescued so far. Local residents said the wooden boat was ferrying people across a river to Kwara state after a wedding ceremony in neighbouring Niger state when it capsized on Monday night, Reuters reported.

The Kwara state government in a statement said the people were from five villages and rescue efforts for possible survivors were still underway.

The Kwara state governor in the statement expressed sorrow "on the devastating news of a boat mishap in which dozens of people were feared killed and many others still missing."

Most of those who drowned were relatives from several villages who attended the wedding together and partied late into the night, Abdul Gana Lukpada, a local chief, told AP. They arrived at the ceremony on motorcycles but had to leave on the locally made boat after a downpour flooded the road, he said.

“The boat was overloaded and close to 300 persons were in it. While they were coming, the boat hit a big log inside the water and split into two,” Lukpada told media.

He said all the recovered bodies recovered so far had been buried, most near the river, By Tuesday evening in accordance with local customs.

Kwara Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s office issued a statement expressing sadness for the families of those killed and saying that he “continues to monitor the rescue efforts already mounted since Monday night in search of possible survivors.”

Boat accidents are common in many remote areas across Nigeria where locally made vessels are commonly used for transport. Most accidents are attributed to overloading and the use of poorly maintained boats.