Sokoto State was thrown into mourning on Sunday after a passenger boat capsized in Kojiyo Ward, Goronyo Local Government Area, leaving several people feared dead and many others missing.
The vessel, carrying dozens of residents across the river, sank midway through the trip, resulting in multiple casualties.
An eyewitness identified as Abubakar said the accident claimed numerous lives, while several passengers were still unaccounted for as search and rescue efforts continued late into the evening.
Confirming the incident, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Sokoto Operations Office said it has deployed its response team to support ongoing rescue operations.
NEMA said its Director General, Zubaida Umar, immediately activated the agency’s response after receiving reports that a boat conveying over 50 passengers to Goronyo Market had capsized.
“As at the time of this report, about 10 persons have been rescued, while more than 40 passengers remain missing. NEMA, in collaboration with local authorities and emergency responders, is intensifying search and rescue operations to locate the missing persons,” it said.
