Eight persons have been confirmed dead in a boat mishap in Jumbam village in Yobe State.
The Executive Secretary of Yobe State Emergency Agency Dr. Mohammed Goje confirmed the incident.
The bodies, according to Goje, were recovered after two days of intense search and rescue by local divers.
He said another eight persons were hospitalised at Dapchi General Hospital in Bursari Local Government.
“The number of dead bodies recovered so far is 8 but our local divers are still working on recovering more bodies from the accident.
“There are also eight people that are injured and are on admission at the General Hospital at Dapchi. I must tell you that all of them are stable. We would have moved them to the teaching Hospital in Damaturu but because of the difficult situation it is very difficult so it is better they are stabilised at the nearest hospital,” Goje stressed.
He said some unspecified number of people are missing from the mishap.
He explained that the boat mishap was as a result of over-loading by the villagers heading for a local market following the ravaging flood that cut off the villagers after the Kaliyari bridge was washed away.
A statement on the official facebook page of YOSEMA said Governor Mai Mala Buni had activated the rescue team and provided relief materials for the trapped communities.
The Governor through his spokesman Mammam Mohammed commiserated with residents over the boat mishap.
The statement said the Governor was “saddened” by the incident.
