The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed on Wednesday that it had recovered three bodies from the boat accident in Sokoto State.
The agency said it had rescued 25 of the more than 50 passengers, but it had now concluded the search and rescue operation.
Aliyu Kafindangi, Head of NEMA’s Sokoto Operations Office, disclosed the update on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
“For the past three days, we carried out a rescue mission after a boat carrying farmers, traders, and women capsized,” Kafindangi explained.
“The boat overturned on Sunday with over 50 passengers on board. On the same day, we rescued 25 people alive. The next day, we continued the operation but found no one. On Tuesday, we recovered three bodies. We have since called off the operation, as after 24 hours the chance of survival is almost zero,” he added.
He noted that the wooden canoe had been overloaded with passengers, motorcycles, and other goods. Kafindangi stressed that NEMA constantly engages communities, canoe operators, divers, and local leaders on safety measures along waterways.
Meanwhile, Bashir Gorau, the House of Representatives member for Goronyo-Gada Federal Constituency, stated that 26 people had been rescued.
Boat accidents remain common across Nigeria’s waterways due to overcrowding and poorly maintained vessels. Previous tragedies include:
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August 2024: 16 farmers drowned in Sokoto.
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May 2025: At least 27 died in Gbajibo, Kwara State.
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Late 2024: 100 perished in a similar Kwara mishap.
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July 2025: Six schoolgirls drowned in Jigawa.