At least 16 people are feared dead after a boat capsized on Sunday in Nigeria's northern Sokoto state, officials said.

"Nineteen persons survived the tragedy, one dead body was removed from the river while 16 persons, including women and children, are still missing," Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency said on social media platform X.

According to local media reports, over 30 passengers were using the wooden boat to cross a river heading to their farmlands.

Boat accidents have become frequent in Africa's most populous nation.

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