At least 60 people were killed after a boat carrying mostly women and children returning from a religious festival in Nigeria's northern Niger state capsized, a local official said late on Wednesday.

About 160 people have now been rescued after the wooden boat ferrying nearly 300 passengers sank on Tuesday night on the River Niger around the Gbajibo Community, said Jibril Abdullahi Muregi, chairman of the Mokwa local government area.

The passengers, mostly women and children, were on their way to celebrate the Muslim festival Mawlid.

The accident took place on at around 8:30pm (1930 GMT).

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