Nigeria: 47 Dead As Boat Capsizes in Sokoto

A tragic accident occurred in Sokoto State, Nigeria, on Thursday, when a boat capsized in a river, resulting in the deaths of 47 people. The vessel was transporting individuals who were headed to their farms for work in Gorau town, situated within the Goronyo local government area of the state. Abdulkadir Yusuf, the Sokoto state manager at the National Inland Waterways Authority, confirmed the death toll to be 47 people so far.

Samaila Garba, a resident aged 55, shared that his 13-year-old granddaughter, Jamila Usman, was among the victims of the capsizing. Garba recounted that most of the deceased were women and children, as they typically used the waterway to commute to the farms during the rainy season. Aminu Dan Hajiya, another resident of the community, expressed his gratitude for not being on the boat, as he regularly uses the same waterway to reach his farm. He noted that almost every household in the community has been impacted by the tragedy.