47 Killed as Boat Carrying Farmers Capsizes in Sokoto

At least 47 people have died after a boat carrying farmers capsized in a river in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The victims were travelling to their farms in Gorau town when the boat overturned on Thursday.

Abdulkadir Yusuf, the Sokoto State manager of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), confirmed that the death toll had risen to 47 so far.

Residents said most of the victims were women and children who were travelling to farms during the rainy season.

A resident, Samaila Garba, said his 13-year-old granddaughter, Jamila Usman, was among those who died. He said he had personally counted at least 42 bodies recovered from the river.

Another resident, Aminu Dan Hajiya, said he regularly used the same waterway to access his farm and described himself as fortunate not to have been on the boat.

He added that almost every household in the community had been affected by the tragedy.

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