The Sokoto State Government has confirmed that four people lost their lives, while five others remain missing, following a tragic boat accident that occurred on Sunday at Kojiyo village in Goronyo Local Government Area.
The mishap happened around 1:00 pm along the Sokoto Rima River when a boat conveying dozens of passengers capsized. According to official reports, 41 passengers were successfully rescued.
The confirmation came after a joint search and fact-finding exercise conducted by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and officials of the Goronyo Local Government Council.
In a swift response to the tragedy, a state government delegation led by the Deputy Governor, Hon. Idris Muhammed Gobir, visited the affected community to commiserate with families of the victims and the people of Goronyo.
During the visit, the Deputy Governor announced relief support, including ₦20 million, 100 bags of food items, as well as 20 motorized boats and life jackets for distribution to riverine communities across Sokoto State. Out of these, two boats were immediately allocated to Goronyo LGA.
Gobir explained that the intervention was aimed at safeguarding lives and preventing similar tragedies in the future. He assured residents of government’s commitment to prioritizing the safety of passengers who depend on waterways for transportation.
He urged the bereaved families to accept the incident as an act of Allah and prayed for divine protection against further occurrences.
The delegation included the Secretary to the State Government, Muhammad Bello Sifawa; Chief of Staff, Government House, Aminu Haliru Dikko (mni); State APC Chairman, Isa Saddiq Achida; commissioners, advisers, and other top officials.
The incident has once again raised concerns over the safety of water transportation in Sokoto and other riverine communities across Nigeria.
