Calamity struck again in Sokoto State as another boat mishap occurred on Thursday in Shagari Local Government Area, leaving many passengers feared dead.
Reports said the unfortunate incident, which has thrown communities into mourning, brings the number of boat mishaps in Sokoto to three within just one month.
Confirming the incident, the Special Adviser to Governor Ahmed Aliyu on the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Aminu Liman Bodinga, said officials of the agency have already been dispatched to the accident scene for search and rescue operations.
He further revealed that SEMA is working in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to ensure that survivors are rescued and victims recovered.
According to report the ill-fated boat was carrying several passengers when it capsized, throwing everyone on board into the river. The exact number of casualties is yet to be ascertained, but sources suggest that many lives may have been lost.
Boat mishaps have become a recurring tragedy in Sokoto, with experts blaming the lack of motorised boats, poor safety regulations, and non-availability of life jackets as major contributing factors to the frequent drownings.
Recall that there was a boat crash that occurred on Sunday in the Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State which claimed many lives and 25 people still unaccounted for.
Residents of riverine communities, who depend on waterways for transportation, have continued to call on authorities to intervene urgently to address the recurring loss of lives.
Stakeholders say that the repeated accidents underscore the need for strict enforcement of safety standards, provision of modern boats, and adequate life-saving equipment for passengers.
No fewer than 452 people died from boat mishaps across various waterways in Nigeria. From July to Dec. 2024 alone, incidents were recorded in Niger, Kwara, Kogi, and Bayelsa States.
Over the years, boat mishaps have occurred with alarming regularity, each accompanied by tragic losses. According to the Marine Crafts Builders Association of Nigeria (MCBAN), Nigeria recorded over 3,000 boat accidents in just a decade.
The country’s waterways are estimated to be about 10,000 km, with over 3,000 km of navigable waterways. These waterways connect the country with five neighbouring states and provide access to 28 of the 36 states in Nigeria.
For many coastal communities surrounded by rivers, creeks, and other water bodies in Nigeria, boats are often the most viable means of transportation. Yet, these journeys are fraught with danger, as seen in the alarming frequency of boat mishaps claiming countless lives yearly.
A breakdown of the data collected between July and December 2024 revealed that most of the boat accidents resulted from inefficiency and the lack of proactive rescue measures to ensure the safety of water transport.
Maritime experts, confirmed this, noting that common causes of such accidents often include poor operator experience, operational inefficiencies, lack of safety measures — such as life-saving appliances — overloading, inadequate boat maintenance, and weak regulatory oversight.
“These factors highlight the need for immediate and comprehensive action to restore safety and public confidence in waterways transportation,” they said.
The recurring issue of boat mishaps raises concern about the inefficiency of the measures taken by the National Inland Waterways Authority [NIWA]. To curb the menace of boat accidents in the country, NIWA’s waterways regulation stipulates a seven-year imprisonment for violators, but the problem persists.
