At least 40 people are feared dead after a wooden canoe carrying more than 70 farmers and labourers capsized in Gorau town, Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State, on Thursday, August 20, 2026, while taking passengers to rice fields across a stream.
Local rescue efforts were still under way as divers searched the water for people believed to be missing, according to reports from the scene.
Also read: Jigawa canoe crash survivors recall terrifying escape
A local journalist, Sharhabilu Yahuza Kiliya, who was present at the scene, said about 40 bodies had been recovered while six people, including the village head, had been rescued.
“So far, we have recovered about 40 bodies, while six people, including the village head, were rescued,” Kiliya said.
The exact number of casualties remains uncertain because rescue operations were continuing at the time of reporting.
Witness accounts indicated that the canoe capsized shortly after leaving the riverbank, leaving passengers with little opportunity to respond before the vessel went under.
A particularly distressing aspect of the tragedy is the reported presence of children among the passengers. Many of those aboard were said to be between 10 and 15 years old, having accompanied their families or been taken along to help with the rice harvest.
The passengers reportedly included both farm owners and hired labourers travelling to fields located on the other side of the waterway.
Kiliya said local divers were continuing their search for people still unaccounted for and were recovering bodies from the water.
“The canoe capsized shortly after take-off. Rescue operations are still ongoing, with local divers searching for those still missing and recovering bodies,” he said.
The Sokoto boat accident has again drawn attention to the risks faced by rural communities that depend on waterways to reach farms and markets.
Goronyo and surrounding communities have experienced serious boat incidents before.
In August 2025, another boat carrying more than 50 passengers capsized in Sokoto State, with the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, later reporting that 25 people had been rescued and three bodies recovered.
That 2025 incident also raised concerns about overcrowding and safety practices on local waterways.
NEMA said the wooden vessel involved had been carrying more than 50 passengers as well as about seven motorcycles.
The latest incident has yet to produce a confirmed final death toll.
The figure of about 40 recovered bodies comes from a local journalist at the scene, while the search for additional victims and survivors remains active.
Also read: Jigawa canoe crash survivors recall terrifying escape
For families waiting along the riverbank, however, the uncertainty is already deeply painful as divers continue the difficult work of searching the water.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
