The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed that more than 30 people have died in a boat accident that occurred on September 2, 2025, at Gausawa community in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
According to eyewitnesses, about 90 passengers were on board the ill-fated vessel when it capsized. So far, 58 people have been rescued, while additional bodies continue to be recovered, leaving several others still unaccounted for.
NEMA said preliminary investigations point to overloading and a collision with a tree stump along the water channel as the likely causes of the tragedy.
The Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, has directed the agency’s Minna Operations Office, which is currently on site, to intensify ongoing search and rescue operations.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) is leading the operation in collaboration with other stakeholders, including the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC), Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS), local divers, and community volunteers.
NEMA assured the public that efforts are being sustained to ensure an organized response and pledged to provide further updates as rescue operations continue.
