At least 51 people drowned on Thursday after a vessel capsized in Nigeria’s northwestern Sokoto state.
Emergency responders launched active search operations, though regional authorities have not yet confirmed the final official casualty count.
Local residents gathered at a community mosque in Gorau village, holding grim funeral rites for dozens of recovered victims.
Dark waters pulled passengers under, adding another tragic chapter to the frequent maritime disasters plaguing the country’s busy rivers.
Overloaded hulls, neglected vessel maintenance, and poor safety enforcement routinely lead to deadly accidents across the West African nation.
“The situation is bad,” said former councillor Ibrahim Musa, noting five additional bodies were pulled from the river after burial.
National Emergency Management Agency personnel arrived at the accident scene in Goronyo district to lead ongoing search and rescue efforts.
The Sokoto tragedy follows recent aquatic disasters in nearby Jigawa state, where scores of travelers have drowned this year alone.
Five people died in a Jigawa boat capsizing last month, while 26 farmers drowned in a similar accident in January.
