• At least 60 dead following a boat capsizing in Niger State, Nigeria.
• The vessel was reportedly overloaded and struck a submerged tree stump.
• Victims primarily include women and children, with many still missing.
• Search operations are ongoing, with emergency responders involved.
• Boat accidents are common in Nigeria due to lax safety enforcement.

At least 60 people have died after a boat carrying over 100 passengers capsized in Nigeria's Niger State. The incident occurred on Tuesday around 11 a.m. local time when the vessel, which departed from Tungan Sule heading to Dugga, struck a submerged tree stump near the Gausawa community in Borgu Local Government Area, according to Al Jazeera, TRT, and Africanews.

The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) confirmed that ongoing rescue attempts have found 29 dead, while local claims suggest that the death toll has risen to at least 60 with numerous survivors in critical condition. Abdullahi Baba Ara, Borgu's local government chair, highlighted, “We are doing everything we can, but the scale of this tragedy is immense,” as rescue efforts continue according to Africanews, BBC, and TRT.

Most of the victims were reported to be women and children, exacerbating the tragedy as entire families have reportedly been lost. Sa’adu Inuwa Muhammad, district head of Shagumi, stated, “The boat was overloaded,” a common factor contributing to such accidents in Nigeria, alongside inadequate safety regulation and maintenance practices, according to Al Jazeera and Africanews.

The widespread incidence of boat accidents across Nigeria raises urgent questions about safety regulations on inland waterways. The national transportation infrastructure has faced scrutiny over the growing frequency of similar disasters resulting in loss of life, creating a pressing need for improved safety measures, as emphasized by reports from BBC and TRT.