A devastating boat accident in Sokoto State has left at least 46 people dead, with rescue teams still searching for 16 passengers after a boat carrying 77 people capsized in Gorau community, Goronyo Local Government Area.
The accident occurred on Thursday morning as the passengers, including men, women and children, were travelling across the waterway to rice farms. Reports indicate that farmers, farm owners and labourers were among those on board when the boat capsized.
The Sokoto State Police Command confirmed that 46 bodies had been recovered, while 15 passengers were rescued alive. Based on the official figure of 77 passengers, 16 people were still unaccounted for as rescue efforts continued.
Police spokesperson, DSP Ahmed Rufai, said the rescue operation involved local divers, the National Emergency Management Agency, the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency and the police.
The search operation continued as families in Gorau waited anxiously for information about relatives who were on the boat. Local residents and emergency responders moved into the area after the accident, joining efforts to recover victims and search for possible survivors.
However, there were conflicting casualty figures from other sources as recovery efforts progressed. Reuters reported that witnesses and local sources later counted higher numbers of bodies, with one eyewitness putting the death toll at 53, while the official police figure in the Punch report remained 46 recovered and 15 rescued at the time of filing.
The cause of the accident had not been officially established in the police report. Authorities were still focused on the rescue and recovery operation while efforts continued to account for everyone believed to have been on board.
The tragedy has also renewed concerns about the safety of water transportation in the area. The latest accident occurred one year after another boat mishap was reported in Kijio community, also in Goronyo Local Government Area.
A political figure from the state, Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, expressed sympathy over the tragedy and said reports indicated that some of the victims were children between the ages of 10 and 15 who had been travelling alongside farmers and labourers.
For now, the confirmed police figures remain 46 bodies recovered, 15 people rescued and 16 passengers still missing, although the casualty figures could change as rescue teams continue their work.