29 dead as boat sinks in north-central Nigeria: rescuers

The accident occurred Tuesday on the Malale River, Abubakar Idris, a Red Cross representative, told AFP.

"The cause was attributed to overloading and collision with a tree stump," said the State Emergency Management Agency in a statement.

SEMA said 29 bodies were recovered, two are still missing, and 50 people were rescued.

The boat was on its way from the village of Tugan Sule to Dugga.

Accidents are common on Nigeria's busy rivers, usually caused by overloaded boats, poor maintenance, or failure to comply with safety regulations.