At least 50 people have been reportedly killed in a boat accident in Gorau community, Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The boat, which was conveying 77 passengers, including farmers, women and children, was said to have capsized shortly after departing the community on Thursday morning.
The Sokoto State Police Command confirmed that at least 46 bodies have been recovered while 15 passengers were rescued alive.
Confirming the incident, spokesman of the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmed Rufai, said rescue teams were still searching for 16 missing passengers as of the time of filing this report.
He said the search-and-rescue operation involved local divers, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the police.
“Forty-six corpses have so far been recovered, while 15 persons were rescued alive. The rescue team, comprising local divers, NEMA, SEMA and the Police, is still searching for the remaining 16 persons,” Rufai said.
He added that “77 persons were on board the boat at the time of the incident”.
The tragedy has plunged Gorau community into mourning, with anxious families waiting for news of relatives who may still be missing.
A resident of the community, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the accident occurred Thursday morning while the passengers were travelling towards their farms.
He said local divers immediately joined the rescue effort, with several bodies recovered from the water.
“Only a few people were initially reported rescued, while several bodies were recovered from the water. Rescue efforts are ongoing as local divers and emergency responders continue searching for those still missing,” the resident said.
He appealed to the authorities to intensify the rescue operation, saying many families were still waiting anxiously for information about their loved ones.
A senior NEMA official, who identified himself as Alhaji Ibrahim, also confirmed the agency’s mobilisation to the affected community.
“Our officials are currently on their way to the community to join the rescue operation,” he said.
The cause of the accident has yet to be established as rescue operations continued.
The incident comes exactly one year after a similar boat accident in Kijio community, also in Goronyo Local Government Area, raising fresh concerns over the safety of water transportation in riverine farming communities.
Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Sokoto State, Manir Dan’iya, has expressed grief over the tragedy and called for urgent measures to prevent a recurrence.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Aminu Abdullahi, Dan’iya described the incident as a “devastating tragedy,” noting reports that some of the passengers were children between the ages of 10 and 15 who were travelling alongside farmers and labourers.
“I am deeply saddened by this tragic incident and the loss of precious lives in Gorau. My thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones and those whose relatives are still missing,” he said.
Dan’iya commended local divers and residents involved in the rescue operation but urged the Sokoto State Government and emergency agencies to deploy additional personnel, medical teams and rescue equipment to the community.
He also called for proper identification and documentation of the victims to ensure that affected families receive appropriate assistance.
According to him, the tragedy exposed the dangers faced by rural communities that depend on waterways to access their farmlands.
“This tragedy highlights the urgent need for safer means of transportation for our farming communities. No farmer should have to risk his or her life simply to access a farm and provide food for the family,” Dan’iya said.
He called for a comprehensive assessment of waterways across the state, alongside the provision and regulation of boats, mandatory use of life jackets, training of boat operators and improved emergency response capacity.
He also advocated the construction of bridges and alternative crossings in communities where waterways pose persistent risks to residents.
“The safety and welfare of rural communities must remain a fundamental responsibility of government, especially when citizens are travelling to their farms to produce food and sustain their families,” he said.
Dan’iya condoled with the families of the deceased, the people of Gorau, Goronyo LGA and the entire state, while urging residents to remain calm and cooperate with rescue teams as the search for the missing passengers continues. (Channels TV)
