At least 103 wedding guests killed after boat capsizes in northern Nigeria

Residents and police were still searching for dozens of people who were on the overcrowded boat that capsized early Monday on the Niger River in Kwara state.

A boat returning from a wedding capsized in northern Nigeria, killing at least 103 people, including children, officials said Tuesday.

Residents and police were still searching for dozens of people who were on the overcrowded boat that capsized early Monday on the Niger River in the Pategi district of Kwara state, which is 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Ilorin, the state capital, according to police spokesman Okasanmi Ajayi. He said 100 people had been rescued so far.

Most of those who drowned were relatives from several villages who attended the wedding together and partied late into the night, according to Abdul Gana Lukpada, a local chief. They arrived at the ceremony on motorcycles but had to leave on the locally made boat after a downpour flooded the road, he said.

“The boat was overloaded and close to 300 persons were in it. While they were coming, the boat hit a big log inside the water and split into two,” said Lukpada.