On Thursday inside Sokoto state, for northwest, di boat wey carry too many pipo turn over, and more than 50 pipo, most of dem na children, die, according to wetin witnesses talk.

Di accident happen near Gorau for Goronyo local government, and rescue work dey continue, na so Abdulkadir Yusuf, wey be area manager for National Inland Waterways Authority talk.

One Reuters witness see 50 bodies, many of dem wrap inside mat and traditional cloth, wey dey lie down for front of community mosque before dem go bury dem for Gorau later on Thursday.

Boat accident wey dey kill pipo dey happen often for Nigeria, because overcrowding, poor maintenance, and weak enforcement of safety rules dey cause disaster for rivers and waterways, especially during rainy season.

One local resident talk say di boat carry farm owners and labourers wey dem hire to harvest rice, and more than 70 pipo bin dey inside when e turn over. Another resident talk say 57 pipo bin dey inside.

Yusuf talk say dem find di bodies of about 40 children.

Nasiru Adamu, wey be lawmaker for Sokoto state legislature from di area, talk say most of di pipo inside di boat be between 10 and 15 years old, and e add say 16 pipo dem rescue.

"We don bury 46 pipo, and even more dead bodies just bring come. Di death toll don reach 53," na so Sharhabilu Kiliya, one eyewitness talk.
Mustapha Umar, wey be director of relief and rehabilitation for di state emergency management agency, talk say officials dey go di scene and go give more info later.