At least 48 people have died after an overloaded wooden boat carrying about 70 passengers capsized on a river in a remote part of north-western Nigeria.
The accident happened on Thursday morning in Gorau village, Sokoto State, as residents were travelling to their rice farms along the river. Local residents said the boat was overcrowded and had developed a leak that allowed water to enter the vessel.
Hussaini Shehu, a resident of Gorau, told the BBC that the community was devastated by the tragedy.
“We are devastated at the moment,” he said, describing the incident as a major loss for the community.
Around 10 people are believed to have been rescued, while several others remain missing. Search and rescue operations continued through the night as emergency teams worked to locate survivors and recover bodies.
Bashir Usman Gorau, a lawmaker representing the area, said many of those who died were children. In the farming communities along the river, children often accompany their parents to the fields, particularly during the rice harvest season.
Images from the village mosque showed recovered bodies wrapped in mats and traditional cloths before burial ceremonies began.
The remote location of the accident has made rescue efforts more difficult. Poor access to the area and unreliable mobile phone coverage have also slowed the flow of information.
A team from Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has reached the area to assist with the response.
Residents also reported that security concerns had complicated the rescue operation. Armed criminal groups operate in parts of north-western Nigeria, where kidnappings and attacks have made travel to some rural communities increasingly dangerous.
Sokoto and neighbouring Kebbi State have also experienced the presence of Lakurawa, an armed jihadist group.
The latest tragedy has once again highlighted the dangers faced by Nigerians who depend on waterways for transportation. Boat accidents are common across the country, particularly in rural communities where people use wooden vessels to reach farms, markets and neighbouring settlements.
Overcrowding, poorly maintained boats and weak enforcement of safety regulations are frequently identified as major causes of fatal boat accidents.
Last month, at least five people died after a boat overturned in Jigawa State. In January, at least 26 people drowned when a boat carrying farmers and fishermen between Jigawa and Yobe states capsized.
In December 2024, 54 bodies were recovered from the River Niger after another boat capsized. The vessel was reportedly carrying more than 200 people.
Authorities have previously recommended safer boats, life jackets, improved waterways, trained and licensed operators and better monitoring at jetties and terminals. However, many of these measures have not been consistently implemented or enforced.
For millions of Nigerians living in rural areas, waterways remain an essential means of transportation, especially where poor roads and a lack of bridges make land travel difficult. The latest Sokoto accident has renewed concerns over the safety of passengers who rely on these waterways every day.
