A boat accident that occurred at dawn in Garin-Faji village, Sabon-Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, has resulted in the death of six persons, with three others still unaccounted for.

The tragedy, which happened around 5:30 a.m. on Thursday, involved a local passenger boat ferrying villagers across a river. It comes less than a week after a similar incident in Goronyo LGA. Nineteen passengers were rescued from the scene.

According to an official statement issued on Saturday evening by the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), a joint assessment team visited the affected community. The team included representatives from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), and the Red Cross.

The delegation, led by Alhaji Aliyu Shehu Kafin-Dangi, Head of NEMA Sokoto Operations Office, and Hon. Aminu Liman Bodinga, Special Adviser to Sokoto SEMA (represented by Mustapha Umar, Director of Relief and Rehabilitation), conducted a fact-finding mission and offered condolences to the victims’ families.

Also present was Engr. Muhammad Bello Bala from NIWA, who emphasized the need to strengthen safety measures along Nigeria’s inland waterways.

Speaking after the visit, Alhaji Kafin-Dangi described the incident as "a heartbreaking tragedy," and confirmed that search and rescue efforts are ongoing to locate the remaining missing persons.

He added that a comprehensive report on the mishap will be jointly released by NEMA, SEMA, and NIWA, detailing the circumstances and recommending measures to prevent a recurrence.

Meanwhile, local leaders thanked the emergency response teams for their prompt action and appealed to the government to supply life jackets and regulate water transport to curb such accidents.