Nine Dead, Eight Rescued in Tragic Jigawa Boat Accident

Nine people have died and eight others were successfully rescued following a tragic boat accident on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at the Rijiyar Malam Fishing Pond in the Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed the incident, attributing it to overloading.

According to Sanusi Ado, the Head of Operations for NEMA in Kano, who oversees Jigawa State, the ill-fated boat was carrying 17 local traders and their goods across the pond to a nearby market when it capsized. All nine fatalities were identified as adult males.

“We received a distress call about a boat mishap at Rijiyar Malam in Taura LGA. Our response team, alongside local divers and the police, immediately mobilized for rescue operations,” Ado stated. “Eight people were pulled out alive, but sadly, nine others drowned.”

Investigations revealed that the boat was severely overloaded, which led to its capsizing in the middle of the pond.

NEMA has since used the unfortunate incident to renew its appeal to boat operators and commuters to strictly adhere to safety regulations on waterways. The agency particularly emphasized the dangers of overloading vessels and stressed the importance of ensuring that all passengers wear life jackets to prevent such avoidable tragedies.

The incident has cast a somber mood over the affected communities in Taura LGA, prompting calls for more stringent enforcement of maritime safety rules across the state’s numerous waterways.