Hope fades for missing passengers in Goronyo boat tragedy
yarkarkara
By Musa Ubandawaki, SOKOTO
Despair has gripped Sokoto State as hopes of finding survivors from Sunday’s tragic boat mishap in Kojiyo community of Goronyo Local Government Area have all but vanished, more than 55 hours after the ill-fated boat capsized with over 50 passengers on board.
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The wooden boat, overloaded with passengers and motorcycles, was halfway across the river when it suddenly capsized, plunging dozens into the turbulent waters. Witnesses recounted that the boat had shown signs of instability even before setting off on its doomed journey.
So far, 25 passengers have been rescued, including a woman who remarkably swam to safety on her own. But for the more than 25 others still unaccounted for, rescuers and families now fear the worst, as the search has turned from a mission of rescue to one of recovery.
Goronyo Local Government Chairman, Zubairu Yari Goronyo, confirmed that despite the tireless efforts of over 200 local divers, supported by the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, no additional survivors have been found since the first hours of the tragedy.
According to him, the search has stretched far beyond Goronyo, extending to Silame, Wamakko, and even Argungu in Kebbi State, as currents may have swept victims downstream. He urged fishermen and river users to report or recover any floating bodies that may surface.
On Monday, Deputy Governor Alhaji Idris Mohammed Gobir, led a delegation to the scene on behalf of Governor Ahmed Aliyu, consoling grief-stricken families and acknowledging the painful reality that chances of survival had vanished.
Gobir reassured the communities of government support, disclosing that motorised boats would soon be distributed to riverine areas in collaboration with NIWA to improve safety. He listed Goronyo, Silame, Shagari, Isa, Sabon Birni, and Wamakko LGAs as beneficiaries.
The Deputy Governor also instructed the Goronyo Chairman to embark on door-to-door condolence visits to affected families, pledging that government would stand with them in this dark hour.
Expressing anger over the recurring tragedies, Gobir warned boat operators against recklessness and overloading, stressing that life jackets would henceforth be mandatory for all passengers.
Aminu Liman Bodinga, Special Adviser on Emergency Management, added that Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, had been fully mobilised to aid in recovery and sensitisation efforts. He said operators who violate safety rules or endanger lives would face strict sanctions.
Despite these assurances, the mood across Goronyo and neighboring communities remains sombre. Families keep vigil by the riverbanks, some weeping, others staring into the waters in silent agony, yet all united by the grim realisation that their missing loved ones are unlikely to return alive.
For Sokoto, the Goronyo mishap has once again reopened wounds of recurring river tragedies, leaving the state to mourn, as recovery efforts continue with the faint hope of bringing closure to grieving families.
According to NEMA officials involved in the search operation, three bodies were on Tuesday recovered by local divers along the river bank in Kojiyo village, foreclosing hope of discovering more survivors.
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