Deborah Akinyosoye
Death toll from Saturday’s boat accident which occurred in Nguru Local Government Area of Yobe, has risen from 25, as announced by the state government, to 29.
Executive Secretary of the state’s Emergency Management Agency (YOSEMA), Dr Mohammad Goje, disclosed this in a statement in Damaturu on Monday.
He said that four additional bodies were recovered from the river, adding that the search and rescue operation would continue as between 8 to ten passengers were still missing.
Goje said that 13 passengers who were injured in the accident had been treated and discharged from a local hospital.
The executive secretary said that preliminary reports indicated that overloading and structural defects were among the major causes of the accident.
He said that following the unfortunate incident, Gov Mai Mala Buni directed YOSEMA to liaise with relevant Federal Government agencies on safety measures in water transportation in the area.
He said that through such collaboration, policing of water transportation would become possible and the use of life jackets could be enforced.
“Once this is achieved, you can ensure that those who will board a canoe must wear life jackets, and that should be institutionalised,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ill-fated boat, which took off from Adiyani in neighbouring Jigawa, capsized along Yobe River in Garbi town at about 7:48 pm on Saturday.
Over 50 passengers, mainly farmers and traders, were believed to be on board when the incident occurred in the area, which is over 230 km from Damaturu, the state capital.
(NAN)