Niger State boat tragedy: 70 bodies recovered as rescue efforts continue

More bodies are being recovered from the Gbajibo River in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, after a wooden boat carrying 300 passengers capsized on the night of Tuesday, October 1, 2024.

As of last night, a combined effort by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), the Niger State National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and local divers had recovered 70 bodies and rescued 150 passengers. The search for the remaining missing passengers is still ongoing.

Mrs. Sarat Braimah, Lagos Area Manager of NIWA, has accused the boat operators of violating regulations by sailing at 8:30 pm, which is prohibited under the water transportation code banning night sailing.

She absolved NIWA of negligence, clarifying that the four water marshalls assigned to the area had already completed their shifts and left the jetty by 8:00 pm, while the ill-fated boat departed at 8:30 pm without their knowledge.

NIWA has attributed the tragedy to several violations, including overloading (the boat carried 300 passengers), the use of a substandard wooden boat lacking navigational aids, the absence of safety vests, and night sailing. In response to the incident, Mrs. Braimah announced plans to deploy more water marshalls to Niger State and other northern regions where night sailing is common, ensuring 24-hour surveillance.

Despite efforts to curb night sailing, Mrs. Braimah expressed concern about its prevalence in the North, labeling it a significant challenge. NIWA has also introduced a recently gazetted transportation code, which imposes penalties for safety violations, and has been actively sensitizing the public on these regulations.

In addition to stepping up enforcement, NIWA has deployed a modern ferry to Niger State, expected to be operational next week, and has established training centers across the country to educate boat operators, particularly in the North where formal training is limited.

Mrs. Braimah further revealed that NIWA sets standards for boat construction, licensing boat builders, and conducting annual inspections to ensure seaworthiness. The authority also collaborates with other agencies, including NEMA and the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), to enhance waterway safety.

The Gbajibo River is notorious for boat accidents, with a similar incident occurring in September 2023, when a boat carrying 50 passengers capsized, resulting in the death of 24 people en route to their farms.

Source: Vanguard