The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency provided the update, noting that of the 29 recovered bodies, 24 were from Nguru LGA, two from Yusufari LGA, and three from Gurin LGA in Jigawa State.
According to the agency, 12 persons were rescued and discharged, three were hospitalised, and two have since been discharged while search-and-rescue operation is still ongoing for another eight.
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs Zubaida Umar, has activated the agency’s Maiduguri Operations Office to deploy an Emergency Response Team to support ongoing rescue efforts following the tragic boat mishap.
This was contained in a statement from the agency, which indicated that the NEMA team will coordinate with the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen search-and-rescue operations.
Boat accidents are common in Nigeria’s remote areas where water transportation is common due to its convenience for business owners and to the absence of good roads.
Past accidents have been often caused by overloaded and poorly maintained vessels, many of them operating without carrying life jackets.
