At least 40 people are 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. Local journalist Sharhabilu Yahuza Kiliya, who was present at the scene, told Legit.ng that 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.
“So far, we have recovered about 40 bodies, while six people, including the village head, were rescued,” Kiliya said.
Children Among the Victims
An eyewitness account indicated that more than 70 people were aboard the vessel when it went down shortly after departing the riverbank. A significant number of those on the boat were children between the ages of 10 and 15, many of whom had been brought along to assist with the rice harvest. The victims included both farm owners and hired labourers who had gathered to collect rice from farms on the other side of the stream.
Rescue Operations Ongoing
Kiliya described the canoe as having capsized almost immediately after it set off, leaving little time for those on board to react. “The canoe capsized shortly after take-off. Rescue operations are still ongoing, with local divers searching for those still missing and recovering bodies,” he said. The village head, who was on board at the time of the incident, was among the six people confirmed rescued. Local divers continued to search the waterway for additional survivors and to retrieve bodies still unaccounted for.
The full death toll remains uncertain as rescue efforts were still active at the time of this report. The incident occurred in Gorau town, Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State, with the boat carrying over 70 people, mostly children aged 10 to 15 years going to harvest rice.
