The death toll from a boat accident in Nguru Local Government Area of Yobe State has risen to 29 after four additional bodies were recovered from the river, state emergency officials have confirmed.
The number of people who lost their lives in the boat accident that occurred on Saturday, January 3, in Nguru Local Government Area of Yobe State, has increased from 25 to 29.
The Executive Secretary of the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (YOSEMA), Dr Mohammad Goje, disclosed this in a statement issued in Damaturu on Monday, January 5.
According to him, four more bodies were recovered from the river, while search and rescue operations are still ongoing.
Dr Goje said between eight and ten passengers are still unaccounted for, raising fears that the death toll could increase further.
He added that 13 passengers who sustained injuries during the accident were treated at a nearby hospital and have since been discharged.
Preliminary investigations indicated that overloading and structural defects of the boat were among the major factors that led to the accident.
The ill-fated boat reportedly departed from Adiyani in neighbouring Jigawa State before capsizing along the Yobe River in Garbi town at about 7:48 p.m. on Saturday.
Following the incident, Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, directed YOSEMA to collaborate with relevant federal government agencies to strengthen safety measures for water transportation in the area.
Officials believe that more than 50 passengers, mostly farmers and traders, were on board the boat when the accident occurred.
The community where the tragedy happened is located over 230 kilometres from Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.
The incident has once again raised concerns over the safety of inland water transportation in parts of northern Nigeria, where boats remain a major means of movement for rural communities.
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