The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed that 24 passengers were rescued and 14 bodies recovered following a boat mishap on the River Niger in Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The accident, which occurred on Tuesday, 30 September 2025, involved a boat carrying approximately 80 passengers from Onugwa community to Olushi village.
While earlier reports suggested 26 fatalities, NEMA’s updated figures put the death toll at 14, with 42 people still missing.
In a post today, NEMA detailed that the incident happened around 5:40 p.m. and that rescue operations were swiftly activated by the agency’s Abuja Operations Office.
NEMA deployed rescue teams to support local efforts, with multiple agencies and community divers involved in ongoing search and rescue operations.
President Bola Tinubu expressed condolences to the victims’ families and the people of Kogi State, describing the tragedy as “shocking and unfortunate.”
He urged emergency responders to intensify assistance and called on water transport operators to prioritize safety measures, including strict adherence to passenger limits and the use of life jackets, to prevent such disasters in the future.