Sokoto State has been thrown into mourning once again following another boat mishap that claimed lives in Garin-Faji Village, Sabon-Birni Local Government Area, barely days after the Goronyo disaster.
The ill-fated boat, which was ferrying passengers across a local water channel, capsized around 5:30 a.m. on Friday, August 22, 2025, plunging its occupants into chaos.
The Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) confirmed that six people lost their lives, while 19 others were rescued alive by local divers and emergency responders. Sadly, three passengers remain missing, sparking frantic rescue efforts and heightening fears that the death toll may still rise.
Witnesses described harrowing scenes at the riverbank, with wails of anguish echoing through the community as families awaited news of their loved ones.
A combined emergency response team was immediately dispatched to the scene. The delegation included officials from SEMA, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Sokoto Operations Office, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), and the Red Cross.
Led by Aliyu Shehu Kafin-Dangi of NEMA, alongside Aminu Liman Bodinga, Special Adviser to SEMA, and Engr. Muhammad Bello Bala of NIWA, the team visited the accident site to condole with the victims’ families, assess the situation, and coordinate rescue and recovery operations.
The officials assured the affected families of continued government support, stressing that the search for the missing would not be abandoned until all were accounted for. They also emphasized the urgent need to strengthen safety measures on waterways and regulate boat operations more strictly to prevent further tragedies.
A comprehensive joint report, with recommendations to avert future occurrences, is expected to be submitted in the coming days.
This latest accident comes as Sokoto State is still reeling from the Goronyo boat mishap, which claimed dozens of lives earlier in the week. The back-to-back tragedies have left communities devastated and renewed calls for urgent reforms in river transport safety across the state.
