Nigeria: 46 dead after overloaded Boat capsizes in Sokoto state

At least 46 people have died after an overloaded boat carrying farmers and agricultural workers capsized in north-western Nigeria’s Sokoto State, with rescue teams continuing to search for passengers still missing.

The accident occurred on Thursday near Gorau, in the Goronyo Local Government Area, as the boat was reportedly carrying people travelling to rice farms in the area.

Nigerian police said 77 passengers were aboard the vessel, although accounts from local residents and officials have given varying estimates of the number of people on board.

Sokoto State Police spokesperson Ahmad Rufai said 46 bodies had been recovered and 15 people rescued alive, while 16 others remained unaccounted for.

Rescue operations were continuing as authorities and local divers searched the waterway for survivors and additional victims.

The disaster has caused particular alarm because many of those on board were reportedly children.

Reuters reported that around 40 of the recovered bodies were children, while local sources said many of the passengers were travelling to work on rice farms.

The boat was believed to have been carrying farm owners and labourers employed for the rice harvest.

The difficult terrain around Gorau has complicated the emergency response.

Officials from the police, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the State Emergency Management Agency and the National Inland Waterways Authority have been involved in the response, alongside local divers and community members.

The scale of the tragedy has also been reflected in reports from the community. Reuters said a reporter saw about 50 bodies at a community Mosque, many wrapped in cloth and awaiting burial.

Local residents have also reported that some victims had already been buried as the recovery operation continued.

The precise number of casualties remains uncertain because recovery efforts are still under way and officials have issued different figures at different stages of the operation.

The Associated Press reported that the official death toll had reached 47, while local residents reported a higher number of victims.

Boat accidents are a recurring problem on Nigeria’s waterways, particularly during the rainy season.

Reuters reported that overcrowding, poor maintenance and weak enforcement of safety regulations frequently contribute to deadly accidents.

In January, at least 25 people were killed when a leaking boat capsized in neighbouring north-eastern Nigeria’s Yobe State.

For families in Gorau, the immediate priority remains finding those still missing.

Rescue workers are expected to continue searching the waterway while authorities work to establish the full circumstances of the accident and the final number of victims.

Photos