At least 51 people have died after a boat sank in north-west Nigeria's Sokoto state on Thursday, a local resident told AFP, as authorities said rescue operations were ongoing.

Such accidents are common on Nigeria's busy rivers and waterways, often caused by overloaded boats, poor maintenance or failure to comply with safety regulations.

Scores drown each year.

“The situation is bad,” said Ibrahim Musa, a former councillor from Gorau village in Goronyo district, where the accident occurred.

“We have already buried 46 bodies, and five others have just been brought out of the river.”

Dahir Kure, spokesperson for the National Emergency Management Agency in the state, told AFP that rescue operations were under way.

“We are now at the scene of the boat accident and have begun rescue work,” Kure said.

Kure said he could not immediately provide a toll, as authorities were still “collecting necessary information on the incident”.

At least five people drowned when a boat capsized in Jigawa state last month.

In January, at least 26 people drowned when a boat carrying farmers and fishermen from Jigawa to Yobe state capsized.