The National Emergency Management Agency has confirmed that 41 passengers were rescued while four others lost their lives in the boat accident that occurred in Goronyo, Sokoto State.
The Head of NEMA’s Press Unit, Manzo Ezekiel, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, noting that the death toll increased following the recovery of another body earlier in the day.
According to him, “A funeral prayer was observed in line with Islamic rites, and the recovered body has since been buried.”
The statement further explained that as part of Thursday’s rescue efforts, the response team visited four villages — Takuske, Kwakwazu, Bari, and Gamiha — where several victims of the accident hailed from. The visits provided an opportunity to confirm the number of survivors and sympathize with bereaved families.
“During the visits, it was also confirmed that 16 persons had survived the mishap,” Ezekiel added.
NEMA noted that the multi-agency search and rescue mission has now been concluded. The operation was jointly carried out by NEMA, Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Goronyo Local Government officials, and community divers.
The Director-General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, commended the rescue team for their commitment and the cooperation of all stakeholders.
“I sincerely appreciate the diligence of the rescue team and the collaborative efforts that led to the success of this operation,” she said.
The tragic accident happened on Sunday, August 17, 2025, at Kojiyo village area of the Goronyo Dam in Sokoto State.