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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has activated the agency’s Maiduguri Operations Office to deploy an Emergency Response Team (ERT) to support ongoing rescue efforts following a tragic boat mishap in Nguru Local Government Area of Yobe State.
Its Director General, Zubaida Umar, in a statement yesterday, said the NEMA team would coordinate with the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (YOSEMA) and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen the search and rescue operations.
According to her, NEMA was alerted to the incident by YOSEMA at about 7:48 p.m. on Saturday, 3 January 2026. The mishap involved a canoe conveying 52 passengers travelling from Adiyani town in Guri LGA of Jigawa State to Garbi town in Nguru LGA of Yobe State.
Umar said the passengers were returning from fishing and farming activities when the canoe capsized midway across the water channel.
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She said that, as at the time of reporting, 25 persons had been confirmed dead, while 13 persons had been rescued through the combined efforts of emergency responders and community volunteers. Fourteen (14) persons remain missing, and search and rescue operations are still ongoing.
She expressed sympathy to the families of the deceased and reaffirmed the commitment of NEMA to continue working closely with Yobe SEMA, the Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC), local divers and community volunteers to support the operation.
She reiterated her appeal to riverine communities to prioritise safety by avoiding the overloading of boats and ensuring the use of life-saving devices during water transportation.
“Further updates will be provided as rescue operations progress,” she added.
