Search efforts continue in Sokoto State after a passenger boat capsized on Sunday morning, leaving more than 40 people missing. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed the vessel, carrying over 50 passengers en route to Goronyo Market, overturned during the journey.
While emergency teams have rescued about 10 individuals, the fate of dozens remains uncertain as responders comb the waterways.
This latest incident adds to Nigeria’s growing list of deadly boat accidents, often attributed to overcrowding, poor vessel maintenance, and inadequate safety measures. The country’s waterways become particularly hazardous during the rainy season when swollen rivers increase navigation risks.
The tragedy follows multiple similar disasters this year. In August 2024, 16 farmers drowned when their canoe capsized in Sokoto while crossing to rice fields. Kwara State witnessed two devastating accidents, 27 fatalities in May and 100 deaths in late 2023, both involving market-bound vessels.
Recent weeks saw additional casualties in Niger and Jigawa states, where 13 passengers and 6 farm workers, respectively, lost their lives in separate incidents.
NEMA Director General Mrs. Zubaida Umar stated the agency immediately activated emergency protocols upon receiving the Sokoto distress call. However, the recurring nature of these accidents highlights systemic safety failures across Nigeria’s inland water transport systems.
Authorities face mounting calls to implement stricter regulations, including passenger limits, mandatory life jackets, and improved vessel maintenance standards to prevent further loss of life on the nation’s waterways. As search operations continue, families anxiously await news of their missing loved ones in the latest water transport tragedy.
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