By Ahmed Kingimi
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) -At least 25 people have been rescued and 25 others are still missing two days after a boat carrying about 50 passengers capsized in Nigeria’s northwestern Sokoto State, emergency services said on Tuesday.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said 25 people were still unaccounted for and presumed dead. No bodies had been recovered as of Tuesday morning, the agency said in a statement.
The vessel, which was transporting women, children, and motorcycles to Goronyo market, a hub for food produce in the region, overturned on Sunday, officials said.
Boat accidents are common in Nigeria during the rainy season, due to poor safety regulations and overloaded vessels. Authorities blamed Sunday’s accident on overloading and poor road infrastructure, which forces many residents to rely on water transport.
Rescue efforts have been hampered by strong water currents from a nearby dam, said Zubairu Yari, chairman of Goronyo local government.
(Reporting by Ahmed Kingimi in Maiduguri; writing by Ben Ezeamalu; editing by Elisha Bala-Gbogbo and William Maclean)
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