KANO, Nigeria: Twenty-one people were killed when their boat capsized in an area wracked by deadly attacks blamed on cattle thieves in northern Nigeria, the emergency services said on Friday.

The vessel carrying 50 passengers overturned in strong currents in a river in the Gandi district of Sokoto state around 10:00 am (0900 GMT) on Thursday, Suleiman Karim of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) told Agence France-Presse.