Authorities have confirmed the recovery of three bodies following a tragic boat accident in Sokoto State, which left dozens stranded. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said that out of more than 50 passengers aboard the ill-fated vessel, 25 were rescued alive, while the search for additional victims has now been concluded.
NEMA’s Head of Operations in Sokoto, Aliyu Kafindangi, disclosed the development during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
“For the past three days, we have been on a rescue mission after a boat carrying farmers, market men, and women capsized.
The boat capsized on Sunday with over 50 passengers on board. Luckily for us, that very day, 25 people were rescued alive. And then the following day, search and rescue continued, but we were not able to retrieve anybody,” he said.
Kafindangi explained that three bodies were later recovered on Tuesday, August 19, 2025.
“But yesterday (Tuesday, August 19,2025), three bodies were retrieved. We are getting a report that some of the bodies have been retrieved, but we are going after this interview.
But as it is, search and rescue has been called off because it’s expected that after 24 hours, there is no chance of finding any survivors of the boat accident,” he added.
Overcrowding Blamed
The NEMA official attributed the tragedy to overcrowding and unsafe practices on Nigeria’s waterways.
He noted that the wooden canoe was heavily overloaded with passengers and goods, including seven motorcycles.
“We always sensitise, educate, and tell them what to do, tell them how to operate their canoes. For example, the canoe was overloaded. It’s a wooden canoe with over 50 passengers, with about seven motorcycles,” Kafindangi said.
He added that the agency consistently works with local communities, canoe operators, divers, traditional leaders, youth groups, and government officials to promote water safety.
Conflicting Rescue Figures
On Tuesday, Hon. Bashir Gorau, the member representing Goronyo-Gada Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, said 26 people had been rescued—slightly higher than NEMA’s figure.
Recurring Waterway Disasters
The Sokoto tragedy highlights the recurring danger of boat accidents in Nigeria, often caused by overcrowding, poor maintenance of vessels, and disregard for safety regulations.
- In August 2024, at least 16 farmers died when their canoe capsized in Sokoto.
- In May 2025, a separate incident in Kwara State’s Gbajibo community claimed at least 27 lives, coming just months after another boat disaster killed 100 people in the same region.
- In July 2025, six girls drowned when their canoe overturned midstream in Jigawa State after a day’s farm work.
