YOLA — At least 20 Nigerians have been confirmed dead following a boat accident that occurred within Camerounian territorial waters, local authorities have reported.
The ill-fated vessel, which departed from Garwa in Cameroon en route to Yola in Adamawa State, capsized during the journey. The boat was reportedly overloaded with passengers, iron rods, and other building materials, with a final destination at Dasin in Fufore Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
Eyewitnesses within Nigerian territorial waters confirmed that the boat departed late Monday night despite repeated advice from locals for the operators to postpone the journey until the following morning. The warnings were ignored.
Tragically, the vessel encountered a violent storm in the middle of the night and capsized, claiming the lives of more than 30 people on board, according to local sources.
So far, 18 victims have been recovered and laid to rest in Wuro Boki in Fufore Local Government Area. Search operations are ongoing for additional victims.
A joint search party comprising divers from both Nigeria and Cameroon has been deployed to scour the waters for more bodies. Survivors are currently receiving medical treatment in hospitals across both Nigerian and Camerounian border villages.
When contacted, the Nigeria Police Marine unit in Adamawa stated that the incident occurred outside Nigerian territorial waters and declined to comment further.
The accident comes amid growing maritime trade relations between Nigeria and Cameroon, particularly along border towns and villages in the region.