At least 47 people have died after a boat capsized in a river in northwestern Nigeria’s Sokoto State on Thursday.
The boat was carrying laborers who were heading to work on farms in Gorau town, located within the Goronyo local government area of the state.
Abdulkadir Yusuf, the Sokoto state manager of the National Inland Waterways Authority, confirmed that the death toll has reached 47 "so far".
Local resident Samaila Garba, 55, shared that his 13-year-old granddaughter, Jamila Usman, was among those who drowned. Garba, who counted at least 42 bodies of victims, noted that most of the deceased were women and children. "You know, during the rainy season, most women and children go to the farm to work," he told to media.
Another resident, Aminu Dan Hajiya, who routinely uses the same waterway to reach his farm, expressed relief at not being on the ill-fated vessel. "In fact, almost every household in the community has been affected," Hajiya said.
Deadly boat accidents are common in Nigeria, particularly during the rainy season. A lack of enforcement of safety regulations allows faulty boats without life jackets to operate across the country. In January, a similar accident in Yobe State left at least 25 people dead.