Another boat mishap has been reported in Sokoto State, this time in Shagari Local Government Area, leaving several passengers feared missing.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Special Adviser to Governor Ahmed Aliyu on the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Aminu Bodinga, confirmed the development to journalists on Friday.
According to him, the accident occurred on Thursday, and emergency officials have since been deployed for search and rescue operations. He explained that SEMA is working in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to locate survivors and recover victims.
Bodinga revealed that the overloaded boat suddenly capsized, plunging all passengers into the river. While he could not confirm the exact number of casualties, community members expressed fears that many onboard may not have survived.
As of the time of this report, rescue efforts by SEMA, NEMA, and NIWA officials were still ongoing.
This latest tragedy comes less than two weeks after another boat accident in the state claimed three lives, with more than 20 people reported missing.
Sokoto has witnessed a series of similar incidents in recent months. In June 2025, seven people died when a canoe capsized along the Gidan Husaini–Gwargawu route in Kambama ward, Shagari LGA, during what was described as a routine river crossing.
