Police Say 46 Bodies Recovered, 24 Missing In Sokoto Boat Accident

Police in Sokoto have given a clearer toll from the Goronyo boat accident, saying 46 bodies have been recovered and 24 passengers are still missing.

The latest figures came after earlier reports said many passengers were feared dead when a boat carrying farmers and workers capsized while crossing from Gorau towards Birjingo in Goronyo Local Government Area.

The state police spokesperson, Ahmad Rufai, said 77 passengers were on the boat, seven were rescued alive, 46 were recovered dead and 24 remained missing as search efforts continued. The earlier NaijaTrend report on the accident is here.

Daily Trust reported that at least 52 bodies, including 11 members of one family, had been buried in Gorau after the accident. It said the boat capsized around 8:30am on Wednesday while carrying people to rice farms, and quoted emergency officials as saying the exact number of victims was still being reconciled.

Former deputy governor Aliyu Shehu Shagari also mourned the victims and called for stronger safety measures on waterways in the area. His intervention adds pressure on authorities to improve basic controls around local river crossings after the accident.

Sources: Premium Times, Daily Trust, Vanguard