No fewer than 24 passengers were rescued, 14 bodies recovered, and 42 people missing following a boat crash on the River Niger in Ibaji Local Government Area, Kogi State, the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has announced.
In a statement on X on Thursday, NEMA explained that the boat was carrying 80 passengers traveling from Onugwa community to Olushi village in Ibaji LGA when the incident happened on Tuesday.
According to sources, the event occurred at about 5:40 p.m. on Tuesday, September 30th, 2025, when a boat carrying approximately 80 passengers overturned while en route to Olushi village from the Onugwa community in Ibaji LGA.
Mrs. Zubaida Umar, Director General of NEMA, revealed that upon receiving the event report, she immediately activated the Agency’s Abuja Operations Office, directing it to send people to the scene of the tragedy to assist with ongoing local rescue efforts.
She added, “The deployment underscores NEMA’s resolve to provide timely intervention and strengthen coordination with state and community responders.”
According to the report, search and recovery (SAR) activities began quickly, resulting in the successful recovery of 24 passengers. Unfortunately, 14 corpses have been recovered thus far, while 42 people remain missing, with efforts to locate and recover them ongoing.
It stated that community divers are actively assisting official rescue teams, and the operation is ongoing with updates to follow, saying that the rescue efforts are being coordinated with the active participation of multiple agencies and stakeholders, including the Kogi State Emergency Management Agency; the Local Emergency Management Committee, Ibaji; the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps; the National Inland Waterways Authority; the Fire Service; the Nigerian Red Cross Society; local divers; and community members.
It revealed that the joint effort underscores the importance of multi-agency collaboration in tackling disasters and ensuring a timely response.
According to the report, the NEMA reaction team, led by the Head of Abuja Operations Office, Mr. Zakari Abubakar, also paid a visit to Chief Patrick Arome, the traditional ruler of the Onugwa village, and commiserated with him and the people over the unfortunate incident.
It stated that the tragedy underscores the critical necessity for rigorous compliance with sea safety laws, such as the usage of life jackets and the enforcement of passenger limitations on boats.
While previous reports put the death toll at 26, the most recent report from NEMA revealed that 24 passengers were rescued, 14 dead were recovered, and 42 persons are still missing as a result of the boat tragedy.
