The death toll from Saturday’s boat accident in Nguru Local Government Area of Yobe State has increased from 25 to 29.
Mohammad Goje, executive secretary of the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (YOSEMA), disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Damaturu.
Goje said four additional bodies were recovered from the river.
He added that search and rescue operations are ongoing, as between eight and ten passengers are still missing. Goje said 13 injured passengers had been treated and discharged from a local hospital.
According to him, preliminary findings indicated that overloading and structural defects were major causes of the accident.
Following the incident, Governor Mai Mala Buni directed YOSEMA to collaborate with relevant federal agencies to strengthen safety measures in water transportation, including enforcing the use of life jackets.
The ill-fated boat, carrying over 50 passengers—mostly farmers and traders—capsized along the Yobe River in Garbi town at about 7:48 pm on Saturday after departing from Adiyani in neighbouring Jigawa State.