From Umar Danladi Ado,Sokoto
In Sokoto, rescue efforts are ongoing to save the lives of at least 13 people who are still missing after a boat accident occurred on Sunday evening in Sokoto State, Northwest Nigeria.
It could be recalled that the recent boat accident in the State caused injuries and deaths, with many passengers still missing in the Dundaye River.
The wooden boat, which was carrying over 35 people, sank, and efforts were being made to recover the bodies of those who died in the water.
The accident occurred at Dundaye in Wamakko Local Government Area of Sokoto State, in the Rima River, which flows from the Bakalori Dam in Zamfara State and the Goronyo Dam in Sokoto State.
The boat was carrying men, women, and children who were going to their farms when the accident occurred.
Muhammad Bello, a local resident who witnessed the incident, said the boat was overloaded, and the operator refused to offload some passengers.
After the boat set off, it began to take in water and eventually sank, but some people were rescued alive.
Muhammad Bello Hassan, the representative of the Sarkin Adar of Dundaye, was among the first to arrive at the scene after hearing about the accident.
He said most of the passengers were going to work on their farms.
Sa’idu Dundaye, one of the survivors, said he narrowly escaped death.
Officials from the Sokoto State Government, led by the Deputy Governor, Idris Muhammad Gobir, visited the scene along with officials from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
Also, Senator Aliyu Magatakar Wamakko commiserated with the families of the deceased persons and called on the people around the area to be extra careful while crossing the river in canoes, especially now that the river is overflowing.
According to the NEMA Sokoto Operations Coordinator, Aliyu Shehu Kafin Dangi, 19 people have been rescued, one body has been recovered, and 13 to 14 people are still missing.
The team recovered 3 more dead bodies from the river who were involved in the accident. The bodies were handled professionally by the team and handed over to the relatives.
He said divers are being used to search for the remaining missing persons, and reports have been sent to other areas where the water may have carried the bodies.
Our Correspondent reports that this is the fourth boat accident to occur in Nigeria within a week, following a boat fire in Bayelsa State, and boat accidents in Jigawa and Zamfara States, highlighting the need for urgent action to prevent such incidents.
