NEMA confirms over 40 missing in Sokoto Boat mishap

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says more than 40 people remain missing after a boat carrying over 50 passengers capsized on Sunday while heading to Goronyo Market in Sokoto State.

According to a statement signed by the agency’s Director General, Zubaida Umar, NEMA’s Sokoto Operations Office (SOO) immediately deployed a response team to support rescue efforts after receiving reports of the incident.

“As at the time of this report, about 10 persons have been rescued, while more than 40 passengers remain missing,” Umar stated. She added that the agency, in collaboration with local authorities and other emergency responders, has intensified search and rescue operations to locate the victims.

The tragedy adds to a series of deadly boat accidents across the country in recent weeks. In August 2024, at least 16 farmers died when their canoe capsized on their way to rice fields in Sokoto. Similarly, six girls drowned in Jigawa State on July 29, 2025, after a boat carrying them from farm work sank midstream, while two days earlier, 13 people lost their lives in another mishap in Niger State.

NEMA reassured Nigerians of its commitment to saving lives, providing timely updates, and coordinating necessary support for the families of those affected.