About 40 Feared Dead as Boat Carrying Rice Farmers Capsizes in Sokoto

About 40 people are feared dead after a boat carrying farmers to their rice farms capsized in Gorau town, Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The incident reportedly occurred while the passengers were crossing a stream to reach their farms, with many of those on board said to be children between the ages of 10 and 15.

An eyewitness said more than 70 people were travelling on the boat when it capsized shortly after leaving the riverbank.

A local journalist at the scene, Sharhabilu Yahuza Kiliya, said about 40 bodies had been recovered from the water, while six people, including the village head, were rescued.

According to him, the passengers comprised farm owners and labourers who were travelling to the rice farms for harvesting activities.

The scale of the incident has raised concerns over the safety of water transportation in rural communities, particularly during farming seasons when large numbers of residents rely on boats to reach their farms.

Local divers and other community members are currently conducting rescue operations in the area as they search for people still missing.

The divers are also continuing efforts to recover bodies from the water.

The exact number of people who were on board and the final death toll remain unclear as rescue operations are ongoing.

Authorities are yet to issue a comprehensive official statement confirming the number of casualties.

Photos: Man Survives Horror Crash After Car Splits Into Two, Sparks Debate Over Imported Vehicles

A man has reportedly survived a terrifying road accident after the car he was travelling in split into two during a violent crash.

Eyewitnesses said the impact of the collision was so severe that the vehicle broke apart completely, with the front half landing several metres away from the rear section.

Despite the devastating damage to the vehicle, the occupant was reportedly pulled from the wreckage alive, leaving many witnesses astonished by what they described as a miraculous escape.

Photos and videos from the scene have since gone viral on social media, showing the car torn into two separate pieces as residents gathered around the crash site.

Although details surrounding the cause of the accident remain unclear, the incident has reignited public concerns over the safety of some imported used vehicles sold in Nigeria.

Many Nigerians reacting online argued that the extent of the damage suggests the possibility that the vehicle may have previously been involved in a serious accident before being imported into the country.

Several social media users called on government regulatory agencies to strengthen inspections of imported vehicles and ensure that accident-damaged automobiles are not resold to unsuspecting buyers.

Others urged prospective car owners to conduct thorough inspections before purchasing used vehicles, stressing that structural damage from previous accidents could pose serious safety risks.

Three Injured in Separate Overnight Crashes Across Lagos as LASEMA Blames Speeding, Bad Roads

Three people were injured in separate road crashes recorded across different parts of Lagos in the early hours of Saturday, with the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) attributing the incidents to excessive speeding, poor road conditions and mechanical failure.

The accidents occurred at Olupese Bus Stop inward Oshodi, Aswani Bus Stop inward Iyana Isolo, and Oba Ogunji Road in Ikeja. Authorities confirmed that no lives were lost in any of the incidents.

According to LASEMA’s Head of Public Affairs, Afolabi Olawale, the first incident was reported at about 12:07 a.m. when a truck transporting granite developed a mechanical fault after one of its rear tyres became trapped in a pothole at Olupese Bus Stop.

The disabled truck obstructed traffic along the Oshodi-bound carriageway, prompting emergency responders to divert vehicles while heavy-duty recovery equipment was deployed to remove the truck and restore the free flow of traffic.

Barely an hour later, at about 12:59 a.m., another accident occurred at Aswani Bus Stop involving a Toyota Sienna and an oncoming truck. The impact forced the truck off the road into a nearby culvert.

Two women and one man sustained varying degrees of injuries during the collision. Emergency medical personnel attended to the victims at the scene before they were transported to a nearby hospital by the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) for further treatment.

Following the rescue operation, the truck was recovered and handed over to officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), while the Toyota Sienna was released to officers from the Aswani Police Division after the scene had been cleared.

The third crash occurred around 1:19 a.m. on Oba Ogunji Road in Ikeja, involving a Ministry of Environment concrete mixer truck and a Volkswagen commercial bus.

Preliminary investigations by emergency responders indicated that excessive speeding by the Volkswagen bus driver was responsible for the collision. Fortunately, no injuries or fatalities were recorded in the incident.

Emergency personnel carried out mechanical repairs on the damaged concrete mixer before both vehicles were successfully removed from the road to prevent traffic disruption.

Reacting to the incidents, LASEMA Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, commended the swift coordination among emergency response agencies, noting that their timely intervention prevented the situations from escalating into fatal accidents.

He reaffirmed the Lagos State Government’s commitment to strengthening road safety through sustained investment in emergency response infrastructure, personnel training and inter-agency collaboration.

Oke-Osanyintolu also urged motorists to obey traffic regulations, avoid excessive speeding and promptly report damaged roads to relevant government agencies, stressing that responsible driving and proper road maintenance remain critical to reducing avoidable road accidents across the state.