The Sokoto State Police Command has confirmed that 46 bodies have been recovered following the capsizing of a boat carrying 77 passengers in Gorau community, Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Thursday morning. Fifteen passengers were rescued alive, while rescue teams continued searching for the remaining 16 people still unaccounted for.
Police Confirm Death Toll and Rescue Efforts
The police spokesman, DSP Ahmed Rufai, said the boat was transporting farmers, men, women and children to their rice farms when it went down. "Forty-six corpses have so far been recovered, while 15 persons were rescued alive. The rescue team, comprising local divers, NEMA, SEMA and the Police, is still searching for the remaining 16 persons," Rufai said.
The cause of the capsizing had not been established at the time this report was filed. The rescue operation involved local divers, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the Police, as the Gorau community awaited news of loved ones.
Community in Mourning as Families Gather
A community resident who spoke without giving a name said local divers and emergency responders moved in immediately after the accident. "Only a few people were initially reported rescued, while several bodies were recovered from the water. Rescue efforts are ongoing as local divers and emergency responders continue searching for those still missing," the resident said, adding that families had gathered and were anxiously awaiting news of their relatives.
A senior official from NEMA, who identified himself as Alhaji Ibrahim, said personnel had been mobilised and were heading to the scene to support the operation.
Political Leader Calls for Safer Waterway Transport
The African Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Sokoto State, Hon. Manir Muhammad Dan'iya, described the accident as a "devastating tragedy," noting that some of those on board were children aged between 10 and 15 who were travelling alongside farmers and labourers.
In a statement issued through his media aide, Aminu Abdullahi, Dan'iya called on the Sokoto State Government and emergency agencies to send more personnel, medical teams and rescue equipment to the scene. "I am deeply saddened by this tragic incident and the loss of precious lives in Gorau. My thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones and those whose relatives are still missing," he said.
He also urged authorities to identify and document all victims so their families could access appropriate support, and called for a broader assessment of waterways across the state, including the provision of regulated boats, life jackets, trained operators and the construction of bridges or alternative crossings where necessary. "No farmer should have to risk his or her life simply to access a farm and provide food for the family," Dan'iya said.
Second Tragedy in Goronyo in One Year
The tragedy occurred exactly one year after a similar boat accident in Kijio community, also in Goronyo Local Government Area. Previously, at least 40 people were feared dead after a wooden canoe capsized in Gorau town, Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State, while transporting farmers and labourers to rice fields across a stream. Rescue workers had recovered about 40 bodies by the time of reporting, while six survivors, including the community's village head, had been pulled to safety.
