Sokoto State was plunged into sadness on Thursday evening following another boat tragedy in Shagari Local Government Area, in which hundreds of passengers were believed to have died.
This is the third boat disaster in Sokoto in one month.
Aminu Liman Bodinga, Special Adviser to Governor Ahmed Aliyu on the State Emergency Management Agency, confirmed the development in a statement on Friday, saying officials from SEMA, the National Emergency Management Agency, and the National Inland Waterways Authority had begun search and rescue operations.
According to eyewitnesses, the boat, which was carrying numerous passengers, collapsed in the middle of the river, dumping all of them into the water.
While the precise number of casualties has yet to be established, local sources indicate that many people may have died.
Residents and experts blame the frequent accidents on inadequate safety precautions, a lack of motorised boats, and a lack of life jackets for passengers.
They have repeatedly called on the government to take immediate action to enforce safety standards and provide modern transport infrastructure.
The Sokoto State Government is anticipated to publish an official statement after the rescue operations are over.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere in Shagari and surrounding communities remains tense as families anxiously await word on their loved ones.
