Olu Samuel, Lokoja

No fewer than 103 passengers were feared dead in a boat mishap that occurred on Monday the 12th June ,the management of the National Inland Waterways Authority has said.

A statement issued late Wednesday night in Lokoja by the General Manager, corporate Affairs,Jibril Darda’u on behalf of the management stated that the Management of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) is deeply saddened by the development.

NIWA said that the Boat mishap occurred on 12th June, 2023, along the Jebba Lake channel in the Lafiagi-Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State in which about 103 passengers are feared to have died.

“We condole with the families of those that have lost their loved ones, and are particularly concerned with the huge number of casualties”. The statement reads

The Authority said that the accident was “clearly an unfortunate and avoidable one as Preliminary investigations through the Area Manager in Minna/Kwara Area Office revealed that the boat driver and wedding guests were on the ill-fated voyage about 2:30am, which speaks volumes about the disregard for the laws regulating Inland Waterways navigation.

“Furthermore, for a wooden boat to have allegedly been carrying more than 200 passengers at once without using life jackets and sailing in the night was certainly gross-overloading and misconduct.”

The Authority however extended it’s commiserations to the government and people of Kwara State while promising thorough investigation into callous incident and prosecute those found culpable in accordance with the extant laws.

“NIWA as an Authority will not fold its arms and allow reckless boat operators flaunting our safety guidelines and killing innocent commuters.” The statement added.