Tragedy struck in Sokoto State on Sunday morning as a boat carrying more than 50 passengers capsized on its way to Goronyo Market, leaving over 40 people missing.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed the incident in a statement, noting that rescue efforts were ongoing.
The Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, said the agency immediately activated its emergency response after receiving reports of the accident.
“Our teams are working with local divers and emergency responders to search for survivors and recover bodies.
“About 10 persons have been rescued, while more than 40 passengers remain missing,” the agency stated.
Boat mishaps are frequent on Nigeria’s waterways, often blamed on overcrowding, poor maintenance, and weak regulation — conditions worsened during the rainy season when rivers and lakes overflow.
Only last year, at least 16 farmers died when a wooden canoe capsized while ferrying them to rice fields in Sokoto.
In May 2024, a similar tragedy claimed 27 lives in the Gbajibo community, Kaiama LGA of Kwara State, barely seven months after another accident in the same area killed 100 people.
On July 29, six girls drowned in Jigawa after a boat capsized while returning them from farm work. Just two days earlier, 13 people died in a Niger State boat mishap.
Observers say Sunday’s accident adds to the growing calls for stricter safety regulations on Nigeria’s waterways. Many passengers often travel in overloaded wooden boats with little or no safety equipment.
Authorities in Sokoto are yet to release an official casualty figure as the search and rescue continue.
See the full statement by NEMA below:
“The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Sokoto Operations Office (SOO), has deployed its response team to support ongoing rescue operations following a tragic boat mishap in Sokoto State today.
“The Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, activated the Agency’s response immediately after receiving reports that a boat conveying over 50 passengers to Goronyo Market had capsized.
“As at the time of this report, about 10 persons have been rescued, while more than 40 passengers remain missing.
“NEMA SOO, in collaboration with local authorities and emergency responders, is intensifying search and rescue operations to locate the missing persons.
“The Agency reassures the public of its commitment to saving lives, providing timely updates, and coordinating all necessary support for the affected families.”
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