Staff Reporter
SOKOTO, Nigeria — At least 48 people have died after an overloaded wooden boat carrying an estimated 70 passengers capsized in a remote area of north-western Nigeria’s Sokoto State.
The tragedy occurred on Thursday morning in Gorau village as residents travelled by boat to rice farms along the river, with the community currently in the middle of the rice harvesting season.
The Nigerian tragedy comes just a few weeks after the Lake Kariba ferry disaster, the deadliest boat accident in Zimbabwe’s history. At least 97 people were confirmed dead after a government-operated passenger ferry capsized on August 11.
Residents in Sokoto said the vessel was overloaded and had developed a leak, allowing water to enter before the boat overturned.
Hussaini Shehu, a resident of Gorau, told the BBC that the community was devastated by the incident, adding that more than 70 people had been aboard the vessel and only about 10 had been rescued.
Many of those who died were reportedly children who had accompanied their parents to the farms to assist with agricultural activities.
Recovered bodies were taken to the local mosque, where mourners gathered before burial.
Search and rescue operations continued into the night as authorities worked to locate people still missing.
The remote location of the accident, poor road access and unreliable mobile phone networks have hampered rescue and communication efforts.
Nigeria’s emergency management agency, NEMA, has deployed a team to the area to assist with the rescue operation.
However, insecurity in the region has also complicated access to the affected community, with armed criminal groups operating in parts of north-western Nigeria.
Boat accidents are relatively common in Nigeria, particularly in rural communities where waterways provide an important means of transport because of poor roads and limited bridges.
Overcrowding, poorly maintained vessels and inadequate enforcement of water safety regulations have frequently been cited among the causes of such accidents.
In January, at least 26 people drowned after a boat carrying farmers and fishermen between Jigawa and Yobe states capsized.
In December 2024, 54 bodies were recovered from the River Niger following another boat accident involving a vessel believed to have been carrying more than 200 people.
Authorities have previously recommended measures including the provision of safer boats and life jackets, improved dredging of waterways, deployment of water guards at jetties and terminals, and stricter licensing and training of boat operators.
However, concerns remain over the implementation and enforcement of the safety measures.
For millions of Nigerians, especially those living in rural areas, boats remain a crucial link to farms, markets and neighbouring communities.
