Rescue workers are searching for more than 40 people after a boat accident in Sokoto State, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has said.
NEMA said in a statement that the boat, which was carrying more than 50 passengers to a market, capsized on Sunday morning.
“About 10 persons have been rescued, while more than 40 passengers remain missing,” NEMA added.
Boat accidents are common on Nigeria’s poorly regulated waterways due to overcrowding and poor maintenance, particularly during the annual rainy season when rivers and lakes overflow.
At least 16 farmers died in a similar accident in August 2024 when a wooden canoe carrying them across a river to their rice fields capsized in Sokoto state.
On July 29, six girls drowned after a boat taking them home from farm work capsized midstream in Jigawa State.
Two days earlier, at least 13 people died in another boat accident in Niger State.
The Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, said the agency activated its response immediately after receiving reports that a boat conveying over 50 passengers to Goronyo Market had capsized.
See the full statement by NEMA below:
NEMA, SOO COORDINATE EFFORTS TO RESCUE VICTIMS OF BOAT MISHAP
17th August, 2025
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Sokoto Operations Office (SOO), has deployed its response team to support ongoing rescue operations following a tragic boat mishap in Sokoto State today.
The Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, activated the Agency’s response immediately 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 SOO, in collaboration with local authorities and emergency responders, is intensifying search and rescue operations to locate the missing persons.
The Agency reassures the public of its commitment to saving lives, providing timely updates, and coordinating all necessary support for the affected families.
