NO fewer than 25 persons are feared dead following a tragic canoe accident in Nguru Local Government Area of Yobe State, while 13 passengers were rescued alive and 14 others remain missing, according to preliminary reports from emergency authorities.
News Point Nigeria gathered that the incident occurred at about 7:48 pm on Saturday, when a canoe conveying 52 passengers capsized while navigating the waterway from Adiyani town in Guri Local Government Area of Jigawa State to Garbi town in Nguru LGA of Yobe State.
Eyewitness accounts and initial investigations revealed that the passengers were returning from Adiyani, where they had been involved in fishing, farming, and other local commercial activities, before the canoe suddenly overturned mid-journey under circumstances yet to be fully established.
Confirming the incident, the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (YOSEMA), through its Executive Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Goje, said the agency received a distress alert shortly after the mishap and immediately activated emergency response protocols.
“The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency can confirm the unfortunate canoe mishap that occurred along the Nguru waterway,” Goje said in an exclusive interview with our correspondent.
“Preliminary reports available to us indicate that 52 persons were on board the canoe before it capsized, resulting in confirmed fatalities, successful rescues, and some passengers still missing.”
He disclosed that search and rescue operations were swiftly launched, involving coordinated efforts by emergency responders, security agencies, and local community volunteers.
“Our search and rescue teams from Bade and Nguru Local Government Areas have been deployed and are working closely with security agencies and local volunteers,” Goje said.
“We are committed to ensuring that all missing persons are accounted for, while those rescued are provided with the necessary medical and humanitarian assistance.”
As of the time of filing this report, 13 passengers had been successfully rescued and were receiving medical care at nearby health facilities, while 25 bodies had been recovered from the water.
However, 14 passengers remain unaccounted for, prompting authorities to intensify search efforts along the waterway, amid growing concern from families and residents of the affected communities.
Rescue operations were still ongoing as of press time.
