Several persons are fe@rded de@d after another boat accident occured in Shagari Local Government Area on Thursday evening August 28.
The incident is the third boat accident recorded in Sokoto within one month.
Confirming the development to newsmen, the Special Adviser to Governor Ahmed Aliyu on the State Emergency Management Agency, Aminu Liman Bodinga, said officials from SEMA, the National Emergency Management Agency, and the National Inland Waterways Authority have commenced search and rescue operations.
Eyewitnesses disclosed that the boat, laden with several passengers, capsized mid-river, throwing all occupants into the water.
While the exact number of casualties is yet to be confirmed, local sources suggest that many lives may have been lost.
Residents and experts blame the recurring accidents on poor safety measures, lack of motorised boats, and the absence of life jackets for passengers.
