More than 40 passengers are missing after a boat carrying over 50 people capsized in Sokoto State on Sunday morning, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed.
In a statement, NEMA said the boat was en route to Goronyo Market when it overturned. “About 10 persons have been rescued, while more than 40 passengers remain missing,” the agency disclosed.
NEMA’s Director General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, said the agency immediately activated its emergency response upon receiving the report and deployed its Sokoto Operations Office (SOO) to coordinate rescue efforts alongside local authorities and emergency responders.
The agency assured the public that search and rescue operations were ongoing and pledged continuous updates and support for the affected families.
Boat accidents are a recurring tragedy on Nigeria’s waterways, often linked to overcrowding, poor maintenance, and seasonal flooding during the rains.
In August 2024, 16 farmers died in Sokoto when their canoe capsized on the way to rice fields. On July 29 this year, six girls drowned in Jigawa State after a boat ferrying them from farm work sank midstream. Just two days earlier, another accident in Niger State claimed at least 13 lives.
NEMA reiterated its commitment to saving lives and coordinating all necessary emergency support in the Sokoto incident.
