Forty-seven killed in Sokoto boat disaster
Forty-seven people have lost their lives after a boat capsized on the River in Gorau, Sokoto State, officials confirmed on Thursday. The vessel was carrying farm workers bound for fields in Goronyo local government area when tragedy struck.
Abdulkadir Yusuf, state manager of the National Inland Waterways Authority, reported the death toll at 47 “so far.” Residents described harrowing scenes, with families devastated across the community.
Forty-seven people have lost their lives after a boat capsized on the River in Gorau, Sokoto State, officials confirmed on Thursday. The vessel was carrying farm workers bound for fields in Goronyo local government area when tragedy struck.
Abdulkadir Yusuf, state manager of the National Inland Waterways Authority, reported the death toll at 47 “so far.” Residents described harrowing scenes, with families devastated across the community.
Samaila Garba, aged 55, said his 13-year-old granddaughter, Jamila Usman, was among the victims. He counted at least 42 bodies, noting that most were women and children. “During the rainy season, many women and children go to the farm to work,” he explained.
Another villager, Aminu Dan Hajiya, said he regularly travels the same waterway to reach his farm and considered himself fortunate not to have been on the ill-fated boat. “Almost every household in the community has been affected,” he said.
The incident highlights the dangers faced by rural communities reliant on river transport, particularly during the rainy season when waterways are heavily used.
Rescue efforts and recovery operations continued into the evening, as families mourned loved ones lost in one of Sokoto’s deadliest recent accidents.
