At least 30 people are feared dead after an overloaded boat capsized on Sunday in Kojiyo village, Goronyo LGA of Sokoto State.
The ill-fated vessel, which was ferrying traders and motorcycles to the weekly Goronyo market, overturned around 1:30 p.m. Officials confirmed to Premium Times that the boat was overcrowded, though the exact number of passengers remains unclear.
Goronyo council chairman, Zubairu Yari, said four people were rescued alive, while the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) later raised the figure to six, with dozens still missing.
Rescue efforts by local divers and emergency officials were hampered by strong river currents caused by water being released from the nearby Goronyo Dam to prevent overflow.
Federal lawmaker representing the area, Bashir Gorau, appealed to the Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority to temporarily halt the discharge to assist recovery efforts.
Survivors described scenes of chaos as the vessel went under. “The cries for help echoed across the river before the boat sank,” said Magani Balarabe, a community leader who narrowly escaped the accident.
Families of missing persons kept vigil at the riverbank late into Sunday night, as a mood of grief enveloped Kojiyo.
Mr Yari blamed the tragedy on chronic overloading and poor road infrastructure, which forces riverine communities to rely on unsafe water transport. He ordered boat operators to maintain passenger manifests and stop overloading vessels.
The state government has since deployed more emergency teams. “We urge operators and passengers to prioritise safety and avoid negligence,” said Aminu Bodinga, special adviser to the governor.
The Sokoto tragedy adds to the long list of fatal boat accidents in Nigeria, where weak safety enforcement, overcrowding, and poor vessel maintenance frequently lead to disaster on inland waterways.
