From Bashir Rabe Mani in Sokoto
Fourty-seven bodies have so far been recovered after a canoe capsized at the Gorau crossing point in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Our Correspondent in Sokoto, however, reports that rescue efforts have been suspended sequel to nightfall, to be resumed on Friday morning.
According to reports, the victims were crossing to the other side of the river when the canoe overturned, throwing all passengers into the water.
Officials say the canoe operator and the village head were among those who survived.
The recovered bodies had since been buried according to Islamic rites.
The Head of Operations, NEMA Sokoto Operations Office, Alhaji Tukur Abubakar, confirmed the development.
Also, the Special Adviser to Governor Ahmed Aliyu on SEMA, Alhaji Aminu Liman Bodinga, said rescuers from NIWA, NEMA, SEMA, security agencies and the Nigerian Red Cross Society, supported by local divers are searching for other missing passengers.
Alhaji Bodinga added that efforts are ongoing to establish the exact number of people on board at the time of the incident.
This tragedy is the latest in a series of boat accidents that occur yearly across Nigeria during the rainy season.
NEMA and NIWA have repeatedly identified the main causes as overloading, use of rickety and non-standard canoes, lack of life jackets, and weak enforcement of safety regulations on inland waterways.
People in Goronyo LGA, which is situated along the Rima River, depend heavily on canoes for transportation.
In 2024 alone, over 200 people were reported dead in boat accidents across Niger, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Bayelsa states.
Both NEMA and SEMA have renewed calls for boat operators to comply with safety guidelines and for communities to prioritize the use of life jackets to prevent loss of lives.
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