admin
At least 25 people have been confirmed dead, while 14 others are missing, following a canoe accident in the Nguru LGA of Yobe state.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (YOSEMA) said the incident occurred at about 7pm on Saturday.
The agency said the boat carrying 52 passengers — mostly farmers and traders — capsized midway while travelling from Adiyani town in Guri LGA of Jigawa state, to Garbi town in Nguru LGA of Yobe.
According to YOSEMA, 13 passengers were rescued alive, while 14 others are missing. It added that search and rescue operations involving security agencies, emergency responders and local community volunteers are ongoing.
YOSEMA said its search and rescue teams from Bade and Nguru have been deployed to support efforts on the ground.
The agency added that Mai Mala Buni, Yobe state governor, has directed that immediate medical and logistical support be provided to victims receiving treatment, underscoring that referral services must be expedited to save lives.
YOSEMA said further updates would be provided as more information becomes available.
Fatal boat accidents on Nigeria’s waterways have become a recurring decimal in recent times.
A 2023 two-part investigation by TheCable detailed how overloading, non-use of life jackets, aged boats, and regulatory failures claimed lives in several boat mishaps across the country.
In April 2025, Adegboyega Oyetola, minister of marine and blue economy, described the recurring boat accidents in the country as a national emergency that requires collective action.
