• Tinubu Mourns Victims, Calls for Stricter Oversight
• Governor Bago Pledges Tougher Safety Measures
• NIWA Blames Boat Operators for Violating Water Safety Regulations
Rescue operations are ongoing following the capsizing of a wooden boat carrying 300 passengers on the Gbajibo River in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State.
As of press time, 70 bodies have been recovered, and 150 people rescued, while search efforts continue for the remaining missing passengers.
The tragic incident occurred on Tuesday night, sparking a large-scale response involving the water marshalls of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and local divers.
NIWA’s Lagos Area Manager, Mrs. Sarat Braimah, attributed the accident to a series of safety violations by the boat operators, including night sailing, overloading, and failure to provide adequate safety equipment.
Braimah stated, “The operators of the ill-fated boat violated multiple water transportation codes, including sailing at 8:30 p.m., which is against the law. The boat was also overloaded, carrying 300 passengers without proper navigational aids or safety vests.”
She added that the four water marshalls deployed to the Gbajibo River had already closed for the day when the boat began loading, and were unaware of the incident.
Despite public outrage over alleged negligence, Braimah insisted that NIWA had previously sensitized the public on the importance of complying with safety regulations, including the recently gazetted transportation code.
“From now on, night sailing is our target. We are going to recruit more river marshalls who will work on a 24-hour basis to prevent future incidents,” Braimah said, acknowledging the challenges NIWA faces in enforcing the night sailing ban, especially in northern regions.
Tinubu Mourns Victims, Calls for Stricter Oversight
President Bola Tinubu expressed his condolences to the people of Niger State, particularly the families of the victims. In a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the president called for a full investigation into the incident.
“President Tinubu has directed NIWA to investigate the spate of boat accidents in Niger State and nationwide, with a view to implementing stricter surveillance measures and prosecuting operators violating the ban on night sailing,” Onanuga said.
The president also thanked the emergency responders and local divers working tirelessly to rescue the missing passengers and recover the bodies of the deceased.
Governor Bago Pledges Tougher Safety Measures
Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago also expressed sadness over the incident, describing it as “unfortunate and disheartening.” In a statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, the governor vowed to implement stricter water transportation regulations to prevent further loss of life.
“The recurring cases of boat mishaps in the state over the past few years are worrisome, and the government will redouble efforts to ensure strict compliance with safety measures to tame this ugly trend,” Governor Bago said.
He commiserated with the people of Mokwa LGA and the families of the victims, offering prayers for the quick recovery of the injured and the repose of the deceased souls.
The governor reiterated his commitment to ensuring that incidents like this do not continue to claim lives in the state.
