ASP. Muhammad Sadiq, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Sokoto, confirmed the incident to NAN in Sokoto on Thursday.

According to Sadiq, the accident occurred on Wednesday.

“The number of passengers travelling in the boat has yet to be ascertained, as a search team is still working to recover other victims’ bodies.

“Immediately the accident occurred, many of the passengers were rescued and three bodies were later recovered.

“Today (Thursday), six other bodies were recovered and search is still on to recover others.”.

Commenting, the Caretaker Chairman, Goronyo Local Government area, Alhaji Zakari Shinaka, said that immediately the accident happened, the council engaged over 50 local divers, who succeeded in rescuing some of the victims alive.

Shinaka, however, advised boat operators to avoid overloading their boats.

The chairman, while condoling the bereaved families, directed traditional rulers in the riverine communities to impound any overloaded boat.

Earlier, a witness at the scene, told NAN that the boat had more than 30 passengers on board when the accident happened.

He said that majority of the passengers were on their way to a farm across the river where they worked as labourers.