The article calls for Nigeria to treat boat mishaps as a national public-safety crisis, citing the latest tragedy at Gorau village in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State where 65 people reportedly died. More than 70 people, including farmers, labourers, women and children travelling to rice farms, were aboard the ill-fated boat, and about 40 of the recovered bodies were children. The piece notes that Sokoto recorded 92 deaths in five boat accidents between 2020 and 2024, including 24 killed at Dundaye in August 2024. Across Nigeria, at least 857 people died in boat accidents between January 2023 and October 2025, according to the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), translating to more than 26 deaths every month.
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