Sokoto boat accident: Nigerian rescuers search for dozens missing

Safety regulations are rarely enforced leading to a large number of accidents on the waterways.

Watch LiveBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcast CategoriesRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersWatch LiveRescuers in Nigeria search for dozens missing after boat capsizes24 hours agoShareSaveMansur Abubakar & Haruna ShehuBBC News in AbujaShareSaveNemaDivers have gone out on to the river to try and find the missing passengersRescue workers in northern Nigeria are still searching for about 25 missing passengers after a boat accident in Sokoto state on Sunday, a local councillor has said.

The National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) said the boat was carrying more than 50 people to a local market when it capsized in the River Goronyo.

Aminu Bare, a councillor in Sokoto, said that 25 people had been found alive, as rescue efforts continued on Monday.

Earlier, Nema said it was "intensifying efforts alongside local authorities to locate [those] still missing". Boat accidents occur regularly in Nigeria due to overcrowding, poorly maintained boats and the failure to enforce safety regulations.

In December 2024, 54 bodies were recovered from the River Niger after a boat that may have been carrying more than 200 passengers capsized.