The incident occurred late on Saturday evening, just before 8 p.m. local time, when a large wooden canoe carrying 52 passengers overturned on the Yobe River near Garbi town. The boat had departed from Adiyani village in neighbouring Jigawa State and was en route to Garbi when it capsized.
Mohammed Goje, head of the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency, said that 13 passengers have been rescued alive and are receiving medical attention, while 25 bodies have been recovered so far. Rescue operations involving emergency responders, local volunteers and security agencies remain ongoing to find the 14 people still unaccounted for.
Police in Jigawa State confirmed the accident and indicated that the canoe may have capsized due to leakage. A spokesperson noted that safety regulations, including bans on night travel and overloading, were reportedly ignored.
"It was a market day, and the victims were returning home after trading. If the driver survives, he will be prosecuted for negligence," said Lawan Adam, the state police spokesperson.
Investigators say the boat was carrying more passengers than it should have, and authorities have warned that the operator could face prosecution for negligence if he survives.
Residents said the victims included people from both their village and the destination town, many returning home after a market day. When the boat failed to arrive on time, relatives raised the alarm and discovered that it had overturned partway across the river. Divers and emergency crews recovered some of the bodies.
Boat accidents are unfortunately common in Nigeria's rural regions, where waterways are often used for transport due to limited road infrastructure, and safety measures are frequently lacking. In a separate tragedy last September, an overloaded boat sank in Niger State, killing at least 60 people after it struck a tree stump.
Rania Umutoni
