Tragedy struck again in Sokoto State on Friday as a boat ferrying dozens of residents fleeing a bandit attack capsized in Garin-Faji village, Sabon-Birni Local Government Area, leaving six people dead and three others missing.
The incident, which occurred around 5:30 a.m., came barely six days after a similar mishap claimed four lives in Goronyo LGA.
Eyewitnesses told Punch that the boat overturned midway through its journey, plunging all passengers into the river. Local divers and emergency responders rescued 19 passengers, while three remain unaccounted for as search efforts continue.
Confirming the incident, the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said its team, in collaboration with local divers, was still combing the river to locate the missing persons.
“Our teams, together with local divers, continue to comb the river to locate the missing individuals,” SEMA said in a statement on Sunday.
A joint delegation comprising officials from SEMA, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), and the Red Cross visited the affected community to assess the situation and offer support to grieving families.
The Head of NEMA Sokoto Operations Office, Alhaji Aliyu Shehu Kafin-Dangi, led the delegation and met with community leaders, traditional rulers, and relatives of the victims.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the families and community members. We will continue to search for the missing persons and draw lessons from this tragedy to improve safety on our waterways,” Kafin-Dangi said.
Special Adviser to Sokoto SEMA, Hon. Aminu Liman Bodinga, stressed the need for stricter enforcement of safety regulations for boat operators, noting that enhanced monitoring and compliance were critical to preventing future tragedies.
Meanwhile, community members have joined the rescue efforts, providing boats, ropes, and manpower to assist emergency teams.
SEMA disclosed that a comprehensive joint report on the incident would be released soon, with recommendations aimed at improving waterway safety across the state.
