Sokoto Boat Disaster: Death Toll Hits 65 as Demands Grow for Urgent Goronyo Dam Overhaul

The death toll from the horrific boat mishap at Gorau Village in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State has reportedly risen to a staggering 65. With only 11 survivors accounted for so far, including the village head, Alhaji Na Batsami Gorau, grief, anger, and anxiety are rippling through the riverine community. What was meant to be a routine crossing has now morphed into one of the country's most devastating waterway tragedies in recent memory.

The grim search operation, which was temporarily suspended on Thursday evening due to poor visibility and hazardous conditions, resumed on Friday with emergency workers recovering more lifeless bodies from the treacherous currents. According to rescue sources, 53 bodies had been retrieved before the suspension, but the subsequent operations pushed the confirmed death toll to 65. Distraught families have begun burying their loved ones in accordance with Islamic rites, amid tears and questions about safety regulations.

While the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has confirmed the survival of the village head and ten others, the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) remains tight-lipped. Efforts to reach the Special Adviser to the Sokoto State Governor on SEMA, Alhaji Aminu Liman Bodinga, proved abortive as his mobile lines were switched off. Meanwhile, the Head of Operations for NEMA's Sokoto office, Alhaji Tukur Abubakar, declined to comment directly on the final casualty figures, directing all inquiries to state authorities.

Alhaji Mukhtar Shehu Shagari, Chairman of the Governing Board of NIWA, described the incident as painful and devastating. Shagari sent condolences to the state government and bereaved families while issuing a stern warning to boat operators to comply strictly with waterway safety guidelines. Former Sokoto Governor, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, also weighed in, demanding an immediate, comprehensive investigation into the remote and immediate causes of the accident.