At least 40 bodies, mostly children, recovered after boat capsizes in Nigeria

At least 40 bodies, most of them believed to be children, have been recovered after an overloaded boat capsized in Nigeria’s

At least 40 bodies, most of them believed to be children, have been recovered after an overloaded boat capsized in Nigeria’s northwestern Sokoto state, according to local officials and residents. Rescue teams were still searching the area on Thursday as authorities worked to determine the exact number of people who were on board.

The boat overturned near Gorau in the Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto state. Abdulkadir Yusuf, an area manager with the National Inland Waterways Authority, said rescue operations were continuing at the site of the accident. He reported that the bodies of around 40 children had been recovered from the water.

However, officials gave varying figures for the number of people who died and were travelling on the boat. Nasiru Adamu, a lawmaker representing the affected area in the Sokoto state legislature, said the death toll had reached 43. He added that 16 people had been rescued following the accident.

Residents in the area also provided different accounts of the number of passengers. One resident said the boat was carrying more than 70 people, including farm owners and workers who had been hired to harvest rice. Another resident estimated that 57 people were travelling on the vessel when it overturned.

The accident occurred as agricultural workers were reportedly travelling to farmland in the area. The large number of passengers on board has raised concerns about overcrowding, which is a recurring safety problem on Nigeria’s waterways.

Mustapha Umar, director of relief and rehabilitation at the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency, said officials were travelling to the scene to assess the situation. He said authorities would release additional information once more details about the incident became available.

Boat accidents are a frequent cause of deaths in Nigeria, particularly on rivers and other inland waterways. Overcrowded vessels, inadequate maintenance, limited safety equipment and weak enforcement of maritime regulations are often identified as major factors behind such tragedies.

The latest accident adds to a series of deadly boat disasters reported in different parts of the country. In January, at least 25 people were killed after a leaking boat capsized in Yobe state in northeastern Nigeria. Such incidents have repeatedly raised questions about safety standards and the enforcement of regulations governing passenger boats.

Authorities and rescue workers continue to face difficulties during emergency operations, particularly when accidents occur in remote communities. Local residents often play an important role in rescue efforts before emergency agencies arrive at the scene.

The latest incident has once again highlighted the dangers faced by people who rely on boats for transportation and agricultural activities. With the rescue operation still underway, officials are expected to provide a clearer account of the number of passengers, casualties and survivors once the operation is completed.

The identities of those who died had not immediately been released. Families and communities affected by the tragedy are awaiting further information from authorities as search and recovery efforts continue.

The incident has renewed calls for stronger enforcement of safety rules, proper maintenance of boats and restrictions on passenger numbers to prevent similar disasters on Nigeria’s waterways in the future.