At least 20 people were killed when a wooden boat caught fire and exploded on a river in Nigeria’s coastal state of Bayelsa on Wednesday, Reuters reported citing a police spokesperson.
The boat was carrying traders taking goods to coastal communities, Bayelsa police spokesperson Musa Muhammed said on Thursday.
At least 200 people were reported killed in boat accidents in Nigeria last year, with authorities regularly blaming overcrowding and poor maintenance.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
In October 2022, a boat accident in Nigeria’s southeastern state of Anambra claimed the lives of at least 76 people.
Anambra was among 29 of Nigeria’s 36 states to have experienced heavy flooding in 2022. The waters had washed away homes, crops and roads and affected at least half a million people.