From Bashir Rabe Mani, Sokoto
Prominent leaders have expressed condolences to the Sokoto State Government and families of victims following a deadly boat mishap in Gorau Village, Goronyo Local Government Area of the state.
The incident occurred on Thursday when a canoe carrying passengers across the Rima River capsized.
Reports indicate that the passengers were travelling to the other side of the river when the canoe overturned.
Search and rescue operations, which were suspended on Thursday evening due to darkness, resumed on Friday as emergency agencies and local divers continued efforts to locate missing passengers.
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) said 47 people were rescued, while recovered bodies were buried in accordance with Islamic rites.
The Head of Operations, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Sokoto Operations Office, Alhaji Tukur Abubakar, confirmed the incident and said rescue teams were deployed to determine the actual number of casualties.
The Special Adviser to the Sokoto State Governor on the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Aminu Liman Bodinga, said personnel from NIWA, NEMA, SEMA, security agencies and the Nigerian Red Cross Society, alongside local divers, had been mobilised for the search.
He said the teams were also working to recover the belongings of passengers involved in the incident.
The Chairman of the NIWA Governing Board, Alhaji Mukhtar Shehu Shagari, described the incident as painful and devastating.
In a statement signed by his Media Aide, Musa Ubandawaki, Shagari commiserated with the Sokoto State Government, Goronyo Local Government Council, traditional institutions and families of those affected.
He urged Nigerians to exercise extreme caution when travelling on waterways, adding that NIWA was intensifying efforts to phase out wooden boats and strengthen waterway safety standards nationwide.
Shagari also called on state governments to deepen collaboration with NIWA to ensure effective enforcement of waterways safety regulations.
Former Sokoto State Governor and Senator representing Sokoto South, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, also expressed sadness over the incident.
Tambuwal, in a post on his verified X handle, said 41 people had died while 11 others were rescued, describing the incident as a devastating tragedy.
He called for an urgent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident and stronger enforcement of safety measures on Nigeria’s waterways.
Similarly, the Member representing Goronyo/Gada Federal Constituency, Rep. Gorau, condoled with the affected families, putting the reported death toll at 48, with others still missing.
He renewed his call for the desilting of Goronyo Dam and other urgent interventions to address recurring boat accidents and flooding in the area.
He pledged to work with relevant authorities towards finding lasting solutions to the challenges confronting communities that depend on waterways for transportation.
The latest incident has again highlighted the persistent risks associated with inland water transportation in Nigeria, particularly during the rainy season.
Authorities have repeatedly identified overloading, the use of unseaworthy boats, failure to use life jackets and weak enforcement of safety regulations as major factors contributing to boat accidents.
Goronyo Local Government Area, which lies along the Rima River, relies heavily on canoe transportation for the movement of people and goods.
NEMA, NIWA and SEMA have consequently renewed their calls for strict compliance with waterways safety regulations to prevent further loss of lives.
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