Rescue efforts following the recent boat mishap in Goronyo, Sokoto State, have ended with 41 persons rescued and four confirmed dead.
The National Emergency Management Agency, in a statement signed by its Head of Press Unit, Manzo Ezekiel, said the fatalities increased after an additional body was recovered on Friday. A funeral prayer was held in line with Islamic rites, after which the deceased was laid to rest.
“As part of the Thursday 21st August, 2025 rescue operations, the response team visited four villages: Takuske, Kwakwazu, Bari and Gamiha, where many of the passengers of the ill-fated boat were said to have resided.
The visits provided an opportunity to verify the number of persons still missing and to commiserate with families who lost their loved ones. During the visits, it was also confirmed that 16 persons had survived the mishap,” the statement noted.
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The joint operation, which brought together NEMA, Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Goronyo Local Government Authority, and community divers, was described as a collaborative effort that ensured both rescue and recovery.
Meanwhile, the Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, commended the rescue team for their diligence and the support of all stakeholders.
The tragic boat mishap occurred on Sunday, 17th August 2025, at Kojiyo village area of the Goronyo Dam in Sokoto State.
