Tragedy has struck again in Sokoto State as a passenger boat capsized on Thursday evening in Shagari Local Government Area, leaving several passengers feared dead.
The incident is the third boat mishap in the state within a month, deepening the grief of riverine communities already grappling with repeated tragedies on waterways.
Confirming the accident, Aminu Liman Bodinga, Special Adviser to Governor Ahmed Aliyu on the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), said that emergency response teams from SEMA, NEMA (National Emergency Management Agency), and NIWA (National Inland Waterways Authority) had been deployed to the scene to aid rescue efforts.
Eyewitnesses reported that the boat, which was carrying several passengers, suddenly overturned, throwing everyone on board into the river. While the exact number of casualties remains unclear, locals fear that many lives have been lost.
Boat accidents have become a recurring challenge in Sokoto. Analysts and safety experts point to poor enforcement of safety regulations, absence of life jackets, and the continued use of non-motorized boats as key causes of the frequent tragedies.
Distraught residents have again appealed to both state and federal authorities to provide safer transportation alternatives, enforce strict safety standards, and distribute life-saving equipment to prevent further loss of lives.
The Sokoto State government, in collaboration with federal agencies, is expected to release a formal statement once rescue operations are concluded. For now, families in Shagari and surrounding communities remain anxious, awaiting news of missing loved ones.