At least six people have lost their lives in a boat accident in Sokoto State, Nigeria, the second fatal mishap in the region within five days.
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) confirmed that the accident took place on 22 August at Faji community in Sabon Birni Local Government Area. Nineteen passengers survived, while three others are still unaccounted for.
NIWA’s Sokoto Area Manager, Bala Bello, attributed the tragedy to overloading and disregard for safety measures. He said a multi-agency team including NIWA, NEMA, SEMA and the Red Cross has been deployed to support rescue and recovery operations.
Bello noted that NIWA has repeatedly urged riverine communities to adopt safety practices such as wearing life jackets and avoiding overcrowding.
The latest accident follows a similar tragedy on 17 August in Kojiyo village, Goronyo Local Government Area, where four people died, 41 survived and five went missing after a boat capsized on the Sokoto Rima River.
