A tragic boat accident has thrown Kojiyo Ward in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State into deep mourning.
On Sunday, August 17, 2025, a passenger boat carrying dozens of residents capsized midway across the river, leaving several feared dead and many others missing.
The ill-fated boat was said to be transporting over 50 passengers to the popular Goronyo Market before disaster struck.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as heartbreaking, with families wailing on the riverbank as rescue efforts began.
Abubakar, one of the survivors who spoke with journalists, said the incident claimed several lives. “Many people drowned, and a lot of others are still missing. The rescue teams are still searching,” he said. His words captured the grief and despair felt by the local community.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed the accident in a statement from its Sokoto Operations Office.
The agency noted that its response team had been deployed immediately to support local rescue operations.
NEMA’s Director General, Zubaida Umar, explained that urgent action was taken after reports indicated that the boat had capsized with more than 50 passengers on board.
“As at the time of this report, about 10 persons have been rescued, while more than 40 passengers remain missing.
NEMA, in collaboration with local authorities and emergency responders, is intensifying search and rescue operations to locate the missing persons,” Umar said.
Meanwhile, local divers and residents have joined security operatives to support the rescue mission.
However, many families remain stranded by the riverside, anxiously waiting for news about their loved ones.
Boat accidents in Sokoto and other riverine parts of Nigeria are not new.
Overloading, poor safety measures, and lack of life jackets remain major contributors to these tragedies.
Furthermore, seasonal floods and weak enforcement of safety regulations make such incidents more frequent during the rainy season.
This Sokoto boat mishap has once again highlighted the urgent need for stronger interventions in waterway safety.
Community leaders are therefore urging both state and federal governments to enforce stricter safety rules on waterways.
Moreover, there are calls for real investment in modern boats, reliable life jackets, and awareness campaigns for riverine communities.
