Several people are feared dead following another boat accident in Shagari Local Government Area on the evening of Thursday, August 28.
This marks the third boat mishap reported in Sokoto within just one month.
Confirming the incident to reporters, Aminu Liman Bodinga, Special Adviser to Governor Ahmed Aliyu on the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), said that teams from SEMA, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) have launched search and rescue operations.
Eyewitnesses reported that the overloaded boat capsized mid-river, throwing all passengers into the water.
Though the exact number of casualties remains unclear, local sources fear significant loss of life.
Residents and safety experts attribute the frequent accidents to inadequate safety measures, the use of non-motorized boats, and the lack of life jackets for passengers.
