A tragic water transport accident has claimed multiple lives in northeastern Nigeria after a canoe conveying dozens of passengers capsized in Yobe State, a region located in the northeastern part of the country and bordered by Niger Republic.
The incident occurred at about 7:48 pm on Saturday, 3 January 2026, along a waterway in Nguru Local Government Area, one of the administrative districts of Yobe State. The canoe was travelling from Adiyani town in Guri Local Government Area of Jigawa State, northwestern Nigeria, to Garbi town in Nguru, Yobe State.
Preliminary reports from emergency authorities indicate that at least twenty five people are feared dead, while thirteen passengers have been rescued alive. Fourteen other passengers remain missing, prompting an ongoing large scale search and rescue operation.
Eyewitness accounts and early findings revealed that the passengers were returning from Adiyani town, where they had engaged in fishing, farming, and other small scale commercial activities. The canoe reportedly overturned mid journey, throwing occupants into the water.
Okay News reports that the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency, the statutory body responsible for disaster response in Yobe State, confirmed the incident through its Executive Secretary, Mohammed Goje.
“The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency can confirm the unfortunate canoe mishap that occurred along the Nguru waterway. Preliminary reports available to us indicate that fifty two persons were on board the canoe before it capsized, resulting in confirmed fatalities, rescues, and some passengers still missing,” Goje stated.
He disclosed that the agency received a distress alert shortly after the accident and immediately activated its emergency response systems.
According to him, coordinated rescue efforts are currently underway, involving emergency responders from Bade and Nguru Local Government Areas, security agencies, and community volunteers familiar with the water routes.
“Our search and rescue teams from Bade and Nguru Local Government Areas have been deployed and are working in collaboration with security agencies and local community volunteers. We are committed to ensuring that all missing persons are accounted for, while recovered victims are given proper medical and humanitarian support,” he said.
As of the time this report was filed, emergency officials confirmed that thirteen survivors are receiving medical attention, while twenty five bodies have been recovered from the water.
Authorities say the search for the fourteen missing passengers has been intensified, with rescue teams continuing operations across the waterway as families await news of their loved ones.
