By Sanni Abdullahi
SOKOTO — Barely a month after, another deadly incident on Sokoto’s waterways, another grief has returned to Goronyo Local Government Area after an overloaded boat capsized near Gorau Town on Wednesday, leaving dozens dead and many others still missing.
Officials confirmed the vessel was carrying farm owners and labourers traveling to rice farms for harvest when it overturned on the Goronyo River. The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) said the boat had about 82 people on board, including a community leader.
Rescue teams from NIWA, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the Red Cross and local volunteers were immediately deployed to the scene.
The casualty figures remain fluid as recovery operations continue. NIWA’s Sokoto Area Manager, Abdulkadir Yusuf, confirmed 41 bodies had been recovered and buried in different communities, while 11 survivors had been reunited with their families.
The Sokoto State Police Command gave a higher toll, stating that out of 77 persons on board, 46 dead bodies had been recovered, seven were rescued alive, and 24 persons were declared missing. A lawmaker representing Goronyo in the State House of Assembly, Nasiru Adamu, put the number of confirmed deaths at 43, with 16 people rescued.
Eyewitnesses described a devastating scene. A Reuters witness reported seeing 50 bodies, many wrapped in mats and traditional cloths, lying in the forecourt of a community mosque in Gorau ahead of burial. Another resident said the death toll had reached 53.
What has deepened the pain for communities is that many of the victims were children. Yusuf said around 40 children’s bodies had been found, and Adamu noted that most of those on board were aged between 10 and 15.
Authorities attributed the tragedy to negligence and overloading.
“The incident occurred on Wednesday, attributed to negligence, overloading the canoe and violations of safety rules,” Yusuf told the News Agency of Nigeria. Adamu added that the boat operator claimed he tried to stop passengers from overcrowding but they refused.
The Goronyo disaster comes just weeks after another boat accident in the same LGA. Community leaders in riverine areas have repeatedly called for safer alternatives, including life jackets, motorized boats, and the completion of bridges that have been under construction for years.
Deputy Governor Idris Gobir, who led a government delegation to console families, pledged N20m in relief and promised motorized boats and life jackets for affected communities. He also warned operators against recklessness and said life jackets would henceforth be mandatory.
NIWA said it has been engaging riverine communities on safety measures and the use of life jackets, while SEMA urged residents to “adhere strictly to safety regulations and avoid overloading boats”.
As of Thursday evening, search operations were still ongoing for those missing. Families continue to keep vigil by the riverbanks, hoping for news of loved ones who may never return.
Boat accidents remain a recurring problem in Nigeria, where overcrowding, poor maintenance and weak enforcement of safety regulations often contribute to disasters on inland waterways, especially during the rainy season. In January, at least 25 people died when a leaking boat capsized in Yobe State.
