The devastating boat mishap that occurred in Egbu village in Patigi local government area of Kwara State on Democracy Day, June 12, 2023 has once again brought to the fore the need for a strict enforcement of safety protocols for boat operators and passengers.
The black Monday’s boat mishap claimed 106 lives while about 144 passengers survived. The victims numbering about 300 were returning from a wedding ceremony in Gboti village in Niger State when the accident occurred at midnight.
Since the sad news of the boat mishap broke out, major stakeholders, including the Kwara State Government and Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Agency (HYPPADEC), have blamed the disaster on the failure of boat operators to adhere to safety protocols, on one hand, and the failure of the passengers to wear life jackets during the voyage.
During a condolence visit to Patigi on Wednesday, Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said the government will send a team to Lagos State to look at how their laws on waterways work, adding that, “our immediate step is to deliver at least 1,000 life jackets to support safe travels on water in the area.”
AbdulRazaq first headed to the palace of the Etsu Patigi, Alh Ibrahim Bologi II, who then joined the governor to visit the riverine communities affected in the accident.
“It is a sad event. We commiserate with our people in Patigi Emirate, including the Etsu Patigi Alhaji Ibrahim Umar Bologi II. We are deeply saddened by the event,” AbdulRazaq told reporters on the sideline of his visit to Kpada and Duro, the headquarters of Ebu and Dzakan settlements whose residents died in the incident.
“Measures will be taken as we are having discussions with Nigeria Inland Waterway Authority (NIWA) on enforcement of safety codes. We will also be sending a team to Lagos State on how their waterways law works.
“Our immediate step is to deliver at least 1,000 life jackets to support safe travels on water in the area.
“In addition to whatever safety measures that are in place, the government will design and roll out some statewide standard operating procedures (SOPs) for water travels to cover issues of boat serviceability, speed limits, loading limits and wearing of life jackets by all passengers. This will be the new irreducible minimum,” the governor said.
He added that the government will also send to the parliament a proposed legislation that imposes punishments and fines for violations of the safety protocol.
Kwara Boat Mishap: One Too Many
“The government will also set up a body that oversees water transportation in the state. This body will complement the regulatory oversights of the National Inland Water Authority (NIWA) which has the statutory responsibility to enforcement safety codes on jetties, loading points, boats, canoes, barges, life vests, among others,” according to a state government’s statement released after the governor’s visit.
Reacting to the development, the managing director of HYPPADEC, Abubakar Yelwa blamed the high fatality recorded in the boat mishap to the failure of the victims to use life jackets.
He, therefore, called on the relevant authorities to enact a law that would make it mandatory for boat passengers across the country to always wear life jackets.
Yelwa, equally called for a law to restrain boat operators from operating at night.
He lamented that the N1.6 billion life jackets that HYPPADEC procured last year for use by boat passengers were not utilised.
How Kwara Boat Mishap Claimed 106 Lives, Survivors Narrate Ordeals
The HYPPADEC boss spoke in Ilorin, the state capital on Wednesday during the flag-off of the inauguration of the 2023 HYPPADEC subsidised fertilisers for 5,795 farmers in the state.
Represented by the director of Community in the agency, Dr Mahmud Umar, Yelwa said: “The fatality recorded in the unfortunate boat mishap in Patigi on Monday was due to failure of the boat passengers to use life jackets. HYPPADEC spent N1.6bn on the procurement of life jackets for boat passengers last year.
“ If the victims had put on the life jackets, the fatality rate would have been very minimal because a life jacket can keep a victim afloat for at least seven hours and help would have come from villagers within that period.
“ I want to call on relevant authorities to legislate a law that will make the use of life jackets compulsory for boat passengers and as well restrain the boat operators from operating at night. If the victims had worn life jackets and the accident occurred in the broad day light, the fatality rate would have been very minimal.”
Giving an update on the incident, the state Police Command said a total of 106 persons lost their lives while 144 victims were rescued.
The police command in a statement signed by the command’s spokesman, Okasanmi Ajayi said that the boat involved in the disaster was conveying about 250 persons from Gboti village in Niger State to Patigi in Kwara when the incident occurred.
It disclosed that the casualties were people from Ebu village with 61 casualties, Dzakan village with 38, Kpada village with four and three other casualties from Kogi State, putting the total number of casualties at 106.
“The total number of rescued people stands at about 144,” it added.
According to the Kwara State Police Command, the unfortunate boat accident occurred in Patigi local government area of the state at about 3am on June 12, 2023.
“Information was received by the Divisional Police Officer of Patigi Divisional Headquarters to the effect that a boat accident occurred around the River Niger axis.
“The commissioner of Police Kwara State, CP Paul Odama, immediately after receiving the information dispatched a team of policemen to join the policemen and other locals already on their way to locate the exact spot the boat accident happened to join in the rescue efforts.
“The boat was said to have conveyed about 250 people from a village called Gboti via Patigi after a wedding ceremony to Ebu Village and Dzakan Village, all within Patigi’s local government area.
“On leaving the shore, one part of the boat by the engine side collapsed where water penetrated the boat, which ultimately led to the boat capsizing. All efforts to draw the attention of the villagers hosting the wedding ceremony for assistance by the persons in the boat proved abortive, leading to the deaths of about 106 people,” the Police said.
The commissioner of Police commiserated with families of dead victims, praying that the souls of the departed rest in peace. He further directed that the policemen on the rescue operation should continue in the effort while providing security for the rescued victims of the accident until they are fully recovered from the shock and trauma of the accident and handed over to their families.
Meanwhile, individuals and organisations have been sending condolence messages to the government and people of Kwara State over the tragic incident.
Those that have commiserated with the people of the state, especially the people of Patigi and its environs, included Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; the Emir of Ilorin, Alh Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari; the Etsu Patigi, Alh Ibrahim Bologi II; former senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki; former Kwara State governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed; speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Engr Yakubu Salihu-Danladi and the managing director of HYPPADEC, Alh Abubakar Yelwa, among others.
Governor AbdulRazaq, in a statement signed by his chief press secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, said it was sad to receive reports of boat mishap involving many people.
“The governor is sad to receive reports of the boat accident involving several people, particularly residents of Ebu, Dzakan, Kpada, Kuchalu, and Sampi – all in Patigi,” according to a government statement on Tuesday.
“The governor sends his heartfelt condolences to the people of these communities and those from other states. He prays to Almighty Allah to repose the souls of the victims.
“The governor, meanwhile, continues to monitor the rescue efforts already mounted since Monday night in search of possible survivors. He commends the alertness of the Etsu Patigi, His Royal Highness Alhaji Ibrahim Umar Bologi II and other local government authorities for the efforts to save as many people as possible who may have survived the mishap,” the statement added.
In his condolence message, the Emir of Ilorin, Alh Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari commiserated with the families of those who lost their lives in the incident.
Sulu-Gambari’s condolence message was signed by his spokesman, Mallam Abdulazeez Arowona.
The Emir, who extended the condolences of the members of the Kwara State Traditional Rulers Council to Etsu Patigi, Alhaji Umar Ibrahim Bologi II, the government and people of the state over the incident, prayed for the families of the victims of the boat mishap “for God’s absolute comforts at this trying time.”
He prayed to God to grant the deceased eternal rest and give their loved ones the fortitude to bear the great loss.
Also, the Etsu Patigi, Alh Ibrahim Umar Bologi II, who spoke with LEADERSHIP Weekend on phone confirmed that the boat was reportedly overpowered by water waves, leading to the boat capsizing and leaving many people dead.
Bologi disclosed that the victims were returning from a marriage ceremony before the sad incident occurred around 3am on Monday.
The Etsu Patigi disclosed that efforts were ongoing to recover other victims of the boat mishap.
He said the state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has directed him to engage his subjects to avert future occurrence.
The Etsu Patigi urged boat operators to avoid overloading and called on governments to assist in providing life jackets to support boat operations in that axis of the state.
In a condolence message, the managing director of HYPPADEC, Abubakar Yelwa, described as tragic the boat mishap that claimed many lives on the River Niger.
He said the incident is shocking and sad owing to the intensity of casualties recorded.
“Accordingly, the commission has already dispatched a team of experts from Kwara State office to the scene to assist in search operations while it awaits a comprehensive report on the mishap to be guided on the next line of action to be taken to contain future occurrence of the ugly incidence,” Yelwa said in a statement signed by head, Press and Public Affairs, Nura Wakili.
Yelwa sympathised with the family of the victims while praying for quick recovery of the survivors.
He also expressed heartfelt condolences to Kwara State Government, Patigi Emirate and the families of the deceased.
Also, the former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki commiserated with the Etsu Patigi, the family of the victims, and the people of Patigi and Kwara State over the fatal boat mishap.
Saraki, in a statement by his press officer on Home Matters, Abdulganiyu Abdulqadir described the accident as unfortunate and a great loss to the affected families, communities and the state at large.
“I deeply empathise and sympathise with the royal father, the good people of Patigi, and the families of victims of the boat mishap”, Saraki stated.
He called on the government to conduct a proper investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the mishap with a view to putting in place measures to prevent a recurrence.
He urged the families of the victims to take solace in the fact that death is an inevitable end for all mortals.
The speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly, Engr Yakubu Danladi-Salihu also sympathised with the Etsu Patigi and the people of Patigi over the boat mishap.
Danladi-Salihu consoled the families of the dead victims, praying that God gives their families the fortitude to bear the loss.
Meanwhile, two survivors of the boat mishap have narrated how the incident happened in the midnight. This is just as a father agonised over the death of his 15-year-old son in the incident.
One of the survivors of the fatal boat mishap, Ibrahim Mohammed from Ebu village said:” We had gone to Egboti village in Niger State for a wedding ceremony. So, around 3am, we decided to start our return trip to Patigi. Three minutes after we started the journey, the boat collapsed. It broke and we all fell into the river. We were over 200 and there were more women and children in the capsized boat. Many people, especially women and children died because we couldn’t find help as the incident occurred in the middle of the night.”
Another survivor, Muhammed Abdullahi said, “About two minutes after we took off from Egboti village, the boat capsized. All the female occupants of the boat died. God helped me because I was able to climb a tree.”
Malam Yusuf Abubakar whose 15-year-old son died in the mishap said, “I was not in the boat but I was told that the boat broke into two inside the river. My son, a very hardworking tailor died in the incident. He was the breadwinner of my family as he used to help with money anytime the need arose. His death was a big blow to our family.”
A community leader in the area, Malam Salman Ahmed lamented that the people resorted to water transportation because of lack of access road in all the communities in that axis of Kwara north.
He said, “There were over 200 people in the wooden boat which we learnt broke into two while on voyage. Our problem is that there is no access road that connects all the three communities in this area. We have no choice than to travel by waterways.”
