The death toll from the boat accident at the Gorau crossing point in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State has climbed to 53, following the recovery of additional bodies from the river.
The accident occurred when a boat carrying scores of passengers reportedly capsized while crossing the waterway, leaving several people dead and others missing.
The vessel was said to have been carrying between 75 and 80 passengers, including the village head of Nabatsami Gorau, when it suddenly overturned and plunged the occupants into the water.
Rescue workers had earlier recovered 48 bodies from the scene before five more bodies were found as the search operation continued.
A resident who lost two brothers in the accident said the search was suspended on Thursday night because of darkness and the challenging conditions at the scene.
He said rescue personnel were expected to return to the river on Friday morning to continue the operation.
The circumstances leading to the capsizing remained unclear as of press time, although preliminary reports suggested that the boat may have been overloaded.
The Head of Operations, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Sokoto Operations Office, Alhaji Tukur Abubakar, confirmed that several bodies had been recovered but declined to state the exact number.
He explained that the emergency response was still ongoing and that officials were yet to establish the final casualty figure.
Also speaking on the incident, the Special Adviser to Governor Ahmed Aliyu on the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Aminu Liman Bodinga, said multiple agencies had mobilised personnel and equipment for the search and rescue operation.
He listed NEMA, SEMA, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), security agencies, the Nigerian Red Cross Society and local divers among those involved in the operation.
Bodinga said the agencies were working to determine the actual number of people who boarded the boat, noting that establishing an accurate passenger manifest would help authorities identify those still missing.
He added that the boat operator and the village head survived the accident, while the bodies recovered had been buried according to Islamic rites.
The latest incident has renewed concerns over the safety of water transportation in communities that depend on inland waterways for daily movement.
Goronyo Local Government, situated along the Rima River, has numerous communities where residents rely on wooden boats to cross waterways.
Safety concerns are often heightened during the rainy season because of increased water levels and stronger currents.
Overloading, poorly maintained boats, lack of life jackets and inadequate enforcement of inland waterway regulations have repeatedly been identified as factors contributing to boat accidents in different parts of Nigeria.
The Goronyo tragedy has consequently renewed calls for tougher enforcement of water transport regulations, including strict limits on passenger numbers, compulsory use of life jackets and proper certification of boats and operators.
Stakeholders have also called for better rescue infrastructure, stronger monitoring of waterways and improved safety awareness among boat operators and passengers to reduce the frequency of fatal accidents.
As rescue teams prepare to resume operations, families and residents remain hopeful that those still missing will either be found alive or accounted for, while authorities continue efforts to establish the full circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
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