# At least 50 people, including 40 children, have died after an overloaded boat capsized in Nigeria’s northwest Sokoto state yesterday. The boat was believed to be carrying more than 70 people. According to reports, the boat had been carrying farm owners and labourers hired to harvest rice. Sixteen people have been rescued. The National Inland Waterways Authority says rescue efforts are continuing. Boat accidents are common in Nigeria, with overcrowding, poorly maintained boats, and weak enforcement of safety rules often blamed for deaths.
40 children among the dead after a boat capsizes in northwestern Nigeria