Iliyasu Abdullahi Bah
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has issued an urgent warning against the dangerous overloading of passenger boats, following a devastating capsizing incident in Sokoto State that has left 25 individuals missing and presumed dead.
This tragedy underscores a persistent and deadly pattern of maritime accidents in the region, largely attributed to neglected safety regulations.
The disaster occurred on Sunday when a wooden passenger boat, heavily laden with approximately 50 people, their trade goods, and motorcycles, capsized on its way to the Goronyo market, a major regional hub for food produce.
It was reported that the vessel was carrying a typical weekend contingent of traders, including many women and children, who rely on the water route for their livelihood.
According to officials from NEMA and local authorities, the rescue operation has faced significant challenges. As of Tuesday, emergency services confirmed that at least 25 people had been successfully rescued from the water.
However, NEMA stated that an equal number of 25 passengers remain unaccounted for and are now feared to have drowned. Complicating recovery efforts, no bodies had been retrieved as of Tuesday morning due to treacherous conditions.
Zubairu Yari, the Chairman of Goronyo Local Government, explained that powerful water currents, released from a nearby dam, have severely hampered search and rescue operations, making it difficult for divers to operate safely and effectively.
Authorities have pinpointed the primary causes of the accident as severe overloading of the vessel and the dilapidated state of road infrastructure in the area, which forces a heavy reliance on often unregulated and risky water transport.
This incident is a stark reminder of a common and seasonal tragedy in Nigeria: during the rainy season, boat accidents become frequent due to a lethal combination of overcrowded vessels, non-existent life jackets, poor maintenance, and a general lack of enforcement of basic safety protocols.
The Sokoto State tragedy is not an isolated event but part of a distressing trend of preventable waterway disasters that claim countless lives annually.
NEMA has reiterated its plea to boat operators and community leaders to prioritize passenger safety by adhering to capacity limits and ensuring the availability of life-saving equipment, emphasizing that such measures are critical to halting the recurring loss of life on the nation’s waterways.