According to official sources, the death toll may be higher because many people are still missing and only a few dozen people have been rescued, 10 of them in critical condition.

The accident occurred this Tuesday when the boat collided with a heavy log carried by the current of Malale River, capsized near the Gausawa community in Borgu, and threw all passengers into the water.

Most of the victims were women and children, authorities confirmed.

Abdullahi Baba Ara, president of the Borgu local government, noted that the magnitude of this tragedy is immense and the boat was overloaded.

River accidents in Nigeria are frequent due to the poor condition of the vessels, overcrowding, and adverse weather conditions.

There are also no safety regulations for navigation on these waterways, especially when many women and their young children travel on these vessels.

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