… Kwara Governor Sends Condolences as Search for Missing Continues
At least 169 people from Gwajibo Mudi community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State are feared dead after a boat mishap in Gwajibo village, Niger State.
According to sources, only 31 survivors have been rescued from the approximately 200 passengers aboard the ill-fated vessel.
Reacting to the tragic event, the Kwara State Government dispatched a high-level delegation led by the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Engr. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, to commiserate with the families of the victims.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, expressed deep sorrow over the loss.
“The governor has directed the state emergency management agency to join in the rescue efforts for the survivors and support the victims’ families,” the statement added.
The boat, which was en route from Mundi to Gbajibo in the Mokwa Local Government Area, struck a submerged tree due to the rising water levels of the River Niger, leading to the catastrophe.
Confirming the incident, Habibu Abubakar Wushishi, the Director of Media and Strategy at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, stated that the mishap occurred around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Although the exact cause of the accident remains unclear, search and rescue operations are ongoing.
The Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba Arah, noted that the boat was carrying mostly women and children for a Maulid celebration in Gbajibo village.
“Eleven bodies have been recovered, and 25 individuals rescued alive so far,” said Jibrin Muregi, Chairman of Mokwa Local Government Council.
This marks the second major boat accident in the region this year. The first incident, which occurred a few months ago, involved around 60 market women.
Despite repeated warnings by the Niger State government for passengers to wear life jackets, it was found that those aboard the boat during this mishap were not equipped with safety gear, exacerbating the fatalities.
Meanwhile, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has confirmed that over 100 passengers have been rescued. Preliminary investigations suggest that overloading may have contributed to the boat’s capsizing.
In response, NIWA has reiterated its ban on night travel and overloading, urging boat operators to adhere to safety regulations. “As of the last count, we have rescued more than 100 passengers from different parts of the channel,” a NIWA spokesperson said.
