RismadarVoice Reporters, August 22, 2026
The death toll from Thursday’s boat mishap at Gorau Village in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State has risen to 65, with only 11 survivors so far accounted for.
The latest casualty figure was recorded on Friday after rescue agencies resumed search operations suspended on Thursday evening due to darkness and difficult operating conditions.
At least 53 bodies had reportedly been recovered before the suspension, while further searches on Friday led to the recovery of additional victims.
The National Inland Waterways Authority confirmed that 11 people survived the incident, including the village head of Gorau, Alhaji Na Batsami Gorau.
The tragedy has sparked renewed concerns over the safety of Nigeria’s inland waterways, particularly in riverine communities where residents depend on boats for transportation, trade and agricultural activities.
The Chairman of the Governing Board of NIWA, Alhaji Mukhtar Shehu Shagari, described the incident as painful and devastating, while urging boat operators and passengers to strictly comply with established waterway safety regulations.
Former Sokoto State Governor and Senator representing Sokoto South, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, called for an immediate investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident and prevent a recurrence.
Meanwhile, the member representing Goronyo/Gada Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Bashir Usman Gorau, called for urgent Federal Government intervention, particularly the comprehensive desilting of Goronyo Dam and its tributaries.
Gorau warned that decades of accumulated silt had reduced the dam’s water-holding capacity and could increase the risk of flooding and other water-related disasters in surrounding communities.
He also called for stronger enforcement of waterway safety regulations, improved emergency response systems, provision of life jackets and closer monitoring of vulnerable crossing points.
