Several people have died in a boat accident in Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State, officials confirmed on Thursday evening.
The incident, the third in the state within one month, has raised growing concern over safety on Sokoto’s waterways.
Aminu Liman Bodinga, Special Adviser to Governor Ahmed Aliyu on the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), said rescue teams had been dispatched to the scene. He noted that SEMA is working with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to search for survivors and recover victims.
Witnesses said the boat, reportedly overloaded, capsized mid-river, throwing all passengers into the water. The exact number of casualties is yet to be confirmed, though residents fear the death toll could be high.
