Twenty-one persons were killed in Gandi District, Sokoto State, when a boat conveying 50 passengers capsized on Thursday.
29 other passengers were lucky to make it to the shore alive.
Suleiman Karim of the National Emergency Management Agency said the vessel which was overloaded overturned in strong currents in a river in Gandi.
Rescue teams have recovered the bodies of 17 women and four children on board the boat.
The passengers were heading to Garin Kare village on the other side of the river to check on their homes, which they deserted following deadly raids by suspected cattle rustlers last month.
