President Bola Tinubu has ordered an investigation into the recent spate of boat accidents in Niger State following a tragic incident on Tuesday night, where at least 60 people, mostly women and children, lost their lives.
The latest mishap occurred when a locally made wooden boat, designed to carry 100 passengers, capsized with around 300 people on board in the rural Mokwa district. The accident is one of several in the North Central state over the past year.
Two days after the tragedy, President Tinubu expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and to the Niger State Government. He also directed the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to investigate the frequent boat accidents in Niger State and across the country, and to develop measures to prevent future occurrences.
According to a statement by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the President instructed NIWA to expand its surveillance of inland waters to ensure the safety of passengers and to prosecute boat operators who violate the ban on night sailing. President Tinubu also thanked emergency workers and local divers involved in the rescue efforts.
Meanwhile, the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) has been conducting ongoing rescue operations. The death toll from the incident has risen to 36, with the agency recovering 19 bodies so far. NSEMA officials continue to search for the remaining missing passengers, though the cause of the accident is still unclear.
Niger State Governor Umaru Bago expressed deep sorrow over the tragic accident in Gbajibo Community, Mokwa Local Government Area, describing it as both unfortunate and disheartening. He acknowledged the recurring boat mishaps in the state and pledged to redouble efforts to enforce safety regulations to prevent future tragedies.
Boat accidents are common on Nigeria’s poorly regulated waterways, especially during the rainy season when rivers swell. Although the waterways authority has banned night-time travel and prohibits overloading vessels, these regulations are often ignored. In recent months, other fatal boat accidents have occurred, including one in Zamfara State in September, where over 40 farmers drowned, and a June 2023 incident in Kwara State that claimed more than 100 lives.