The 2023 Labour Party Presidentialp Candidate, Peter Obi has reacted to the recent tragic boat mishap in Yobe State that has reportedly claimed 29 lives with many still missing, and left families in grief.
In his reaction on X, the former Governor who was saddened over this unfortunate incident urged the Government to ensure functional, secured systems that will keep Nigerians safe, on land, in the air and on the waterways.
While sending his heartfelt condolences go to the families of those who lost their loved ones, he prayed that God should grant them comfort, strength, and the fortitude to bear this painful loss.
According to him, “I am deeply saddened by the tragic boat mishap in Yobe State that has claimed 29 precious lives with many still missing, and left families in grief. This tragic reoccurred just few days after the Lagos boat mishap that claimed 6 young lives. 
“My heartfelt condolences go to the families of those who lost their loved ones, and I pray that God grants them comfort, strength, and the fortitude to bear this painful loss. May the souls of the departed rest in perfect peace, and may those rescued recover fully.
“I have consistently spoken about the safety of our waterways. These painful occurrence happen too often. We must move from condolences to prevention and take this very seriously.
“I thank the Government of Yobe for their efforts so far. My prayers are with the people of Yobe State, and I urge us as leaders to ensure functional, secured systems that keep Nigerians safe, on land, in the air and on our waterways”.
It was reported that the mishap occurred at approximately 7:48 p.m. on Saturday, 3rd January 2026, and involved a canoe conveying 52 passengers travelling from Adiyani town in Guri LGA of Jigawa State to Garbi town in Nguru LGA of Yobe State.
The passengers were reportedly returning from fishing and farming activities when the canoe capsized midway across the water channel while preliminary finding pointed at overloading and structural defection, long-standing challenges in inland water transportation in Nigeria.
It was reported that 25 persons have been confirmed dead, while 13 persons have been successfully rescued through the combined efforts of the emergency responders and community volunteers. Fourteen (14) persons remain missing, and search and rescue operations are still ongoing.
