NEMA CONFIRMS THREE DEAD, 25 RESCUED IN SOKOTO BOAT MISHAP
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed the recovery of three bodies following a boat accident in Sokoto State that left several passengers missing.
NEMA’s Head of Operations in Sokoto, Aliyu Kafindangi, disclosed the development on Wednesday while speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
He said the ill-fated wooden canoe, carrying over 50 passengers and seven motorcycles, capsized on Sunday. Twenty-five passengers were rescued on the first day of the operation.
“For the past three days, we have been on a rescue mission after a boat carrying farmers, market men, and women capsized. Luckily, on the first day, 25 people were rescued alive. The following day, we could not recover any bodies, but on Tuesday, three were retrieved,” Kafindangi said.
He explained that the search and rescue operation had been called off, noting that survival chances diminish after 24 hours. The tragedy, he added, was caused by overloading.
Kafindangi stressed that NEMA had consistently sensitised communities, canoe operators, and traditional leaders on water safety, but many still ignore warnings against overcrowding.
Nigeria has witnessed recurring boat tragedies in recent months. In August 2024, 16 farmers died in a similar incident in Sokoto. In May 2025, 27 people drowned in Kwara State’s Gbajibo community, barely seven months after another mishap killed 100. Just last month, six girls drowned in Jigawa after their boat capsized while returning from farm work.
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