At least 40 people missing after boat capsizes in Nigeria, authorities say

At least 40 people have drowned in a boat accident on a river in northwest Nigeria, said President Bola Tinubu on Sunday.

The accident happened in Zamfara state, as farmers were trying to get to their land, said Tinubu in a statement. The president promised support for the victims and directed emergency agencies to assess the incident.

Yazid Abubakar, a police spokesperson in Zamfara, told The Associated Press the accident happened on Saturday and that five people were rescued, but 40 are still missing. It was not immediately clear how many people were on the boat when it went down.