- Odibo Victory
No fewer than 41 persons have been confirmed dead by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and 11 others were rescued in a boat mishap in Goronyo River in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The incident was confirmed by the NIWA Area Manager in Sokoto, Mr Abdulkadir Yusuf, on Thursday in Sokoto.
According to Yusuf, the boat was carrying about 82 persons, including the community leader in transit to a rice farm for harvest.
He said the dead bodies were buried in different communities, while 11 survivors have reunited with their families, adding that the search for missing persons is still in progress.
Yusuf, who confirmed that the incident occurred on Wednesday, attributed it to negligence, canoe overloading and violation of safety rules.
He explained that a team comprising officials from NIWA, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the Red Cross Society and local volunteers were on the site.
The Area Manager reiterated that NIWA has been engaging riverine communities on safety measures, guidelines, the use of life jackets and other considerations for water usage.
According to reports, incidents have occurred along the Sokoto-Rima River almost every year in Sokoto state.