A fresh wave of grief swept through Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Thursday as another boat mishap claimed a life, left nine passengers rescued, and an 80-year-old woman still unaccounted for.
The tragedy, which occurred on 29th August 2025, involved a boat carrying 11 passengers from Tudun Launa to Ruggar Buda. Midway across the river, the vessel, said to be overloaded and contending with strong currents, capsized, plunging the occupants into the water.
Emergency officials confirmed that 29-year-old Salmanu Muhammad Lambara lost his life in the incident. His body was recovered during a joint rescue operation involving the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), and the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
But the fate of Hajiya Hajara, an octogenarian from Malam Gero Lambara, remains unknown. Search teams have intensified efforts to trace her, with assurances that operations will continue until her safety is confirmed or her body recovered.
Nine other passengers, including the boat operator, were rescued, though many were said to be traumatised by the harrowing experience. Residents, who rushed to the scene before the arrival of emergency workers, played a crucial role in pulling survivors to safety.
Confirming the incident, a former councillor of Lambara Ward, Abubakar Jabbi Lambara, disclosed that the accident happened between 7pm and 8pm when visibility was poor and the river current was particularly strong.
The mishap has thrown the Lambara community and its environs into mourning, reigniting concerns over the spate of recurring boat accidents in Sokoto State. Many residents lamented that repeated government promises of safety reforms on waterways have yet to yield results.
Emergency officials, on their part, blamed the absence of modern motorised boats and life jackets for the frequent loss of lives, noting that most rural dwellers still rely on wooden canoes for daily transportation across rivers.
This latest accident brings the number of boat mishaps in Sokoto to three within one month, heightening calls for urgent government intervention. Community leaders are demanding stricter regulation of night-time water travel, the provision of safer boats, and enforcement of life-saving measures to reduce fatalities.
As at press time, rescue efforts were still ongoing, with officials assuring that they will not relent until the missing woman is accounted for.
