At least 150 people are missing after a boat capsized in north-central Nigeria, officials said Wednesday.
The incident occurred late on Tuesday in the Mokwa area, said Abdullahi Baba, director general of the emergency agency of Niger state.
According to Baba, the boat carried about 300 persons on their way to attend an annual Muslim religious celebration. Rescue efforts were underway to locate more survivors, he said.
Nigeria faces frequent boat accidents often blamed on overloading, poor maintenance and disregard for regulations.
Most of the accidents happen during the rainy season from June to November when rivers and lakes swell and flood.
In June, at least 108 people drowned after a wooden boat carrying more than 250 people from a late-night wedding across the Niger River in Kwara state, north cantral Nigeria, broke apart after hitting a log.
