Rescue teams in Sokoto State, northwestern Nigeria, are continuing their search for more than 40 people missing after a boat carrying over 50 passengers capsized en route to the Goronyo market, according to local authorities.
In a statement issued Sunday, Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said its Sokoto office had dispatched a field team to support ongoing rescue efforts following the “tragic boat accident.” The agency’s Director General, Zubaida Umar, stated that the intervention came after reports of a capsized boat carrying passengers to the Goronyo market. She added that about 10 people had been rescued, while more than 40 remain unaccounted for.
According to The Punch newspaper, a local official suggested that the incident may have been caused by overloading — a recurring issue in riverine communities in the state.
Boat accidents are common in Nigeria, especially during the rainy season, which lasts from March to October, when river and lake levels rise significantly.
In August 2024, 16 farmers were killed in a similar incident in the same state when a wooden canoe carrying them to rice fields overturned in one of the rivers.
Just last month, at least 13 people died and dozens went missing after a boat carrying around 100 passengers capsized in Niger State, central Nigeria.
Only two days later, six girls drowned when a boat taking them home from agricultural work capsized in Jigawa State, also in northwestern Nigeria.