Boat Accident In Sokoto Leaves Many Feared Dead As Rescue Efforts Continue

(Boat Capsized. Photo by Nigeria Stories)

A boat disaster, which is alleged to have killed many persons, damaged the Gorau hamlet in Sokoto State's Goronyo Local Government Area.

A first account from a town resident states that the tragedy happened on Thursday when a boat carrying roughly forty people men, women, and children capsized.

The Kijio community in the same LGA saw a similar occurrence exactly one year prior to the most recent one.

Our correspondent received confirmation of the tragedy from a town resident who spoke on condition of anonymity, however the overall number of casualties cannot be immediately confirmed.

More than twenty bodies have apparently been found in the sea, but only five individuals have supposedly been saved thus far.

“Rescue efforts are ongoing as emergency responders and residents continue searching for passengers who remain missing,” the source stated.

The town is in grief as a result of the tragedy, and relatives are eagerly awaiting word on the location of their loved ones.

In order to find and save any passengers who might still be alive, locals have called for increased rescue efforts.

The reason of the accident and the victims' identities were not immediately known at the time this article was filed.

As rescue efforts continue, more updates are anticipated.

Ahmed Rufai, a spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command, told reporters that the command would shortly release a statement regarding the incident.

A senior staff member of the National Emergency Management Agency, who simply identified himself as Alhaji Ibrahim, told our correspondent that NEMA officials are currently on their way to the community.