At Least 30 Traders, Including Women, Are Feared Dead After A Boat Capsized On Sunday In Kojiyo Village, Goronyo Local Government Area Of Sokoto State.
The Victims Were On Their Way To The Weekly Goronyo Market When The Boat, Carrying Both Passengers And Goods, Overturned Around 1:30 P.M.
Eyewitnesses Reported That The Boat Was Overloaded, Transporting Motorcycles Alongside The Traders. Local Sources Confirmed That The Victims Originated From Communities In Both Goronyo And Neighboring Gada Local Government Areas.
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Confirming The Tragic Incident, Chairman Of Goronyo LGA, Hon. Zubairu Yari, Stated That Four People Were Rescued Alive. He Added That The Exact Number Of Passengers Onboard Could Not Be Verified, But Acknowledged That The Boat Was Overcrowded.
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“The Traders Came From Different Communities, Including Gada LGA, To Attend The Sunday Market. Rescue Efforts Are Ongoing, But The Situation Is Challenging Due To Heavy Water Flow From Goronyo Dam, Which Is Being Released To Prevent Overflow,” He Said.
He Further Explained That Appeals Had Been Sent To Nearby Communities To Assist In Locating The Bodies Of The Victims, Expressing Hope That Some Would Be Recovered Soon.
Chairman Yari Attributed The Accident To Overloading And Poor Road Accessibility, Which Forces Many Residents To Rely On Water Transport. He Noted That The State Government Is Currently Constructing Roads And Bridges To Improve Access In The Area.
In Response To The Tragedy, Yari Directed That No Boat Should Be Overloaded In The Future. He Also Stressed The Importance Of Maintaining A Proper Passenger Manifest For All Canoe Operations Within The Communities.
Search And Recovery Operations Were Ongoing At The Time Of Filing This Report.
Lawmaker Calls For Temporary Halt Of Water Release To Aid Recovery Efforts
The Member Representing Gada-Goronyo Federal Constituency, Hon. Bashir Usman Gorau, Urged The Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority To Temporarily Suspend Water Release From Goronyo Dam To Facilitate The Recovery Of Bodies Following The Tragic Incident.
Visibly Distressed By The Event, The Lawmaker Highlighted The Urgent Need To Support Ongoing Rescue Efforts By Creating A Safer Environment For Responders.
“I Urge The Authorities To Consider A Temporary Halt In The Water Discharge For A Few Hours. This Will Greatly Assist Our Brave Rescue Teams In Recovering The Remains Of Those Who Lost Their Lives In This Unfortunate Tragedy,” He Said.
