A member of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Ahmed Saidu Baba, has made revelation on the boat accident involving 285 Gwajibo Mudi community indigenes in Kwara State on the River Niger.
According to Saidu Baba, representing (Banni/Gwanara/Adena) at the plenary on Tuesday, 92 victims were rescued, while 191 corpses that perished in the incident were recovered.
Ahmed, who presented a matter of general public importance on the devastating incident, disclosed that “the wooden boat, with 285 persons on board consisting of 283 natives of Gwajibo Mudi in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara state left the shores of the riverine community enroute the neighbouring Gwajibo community in Niger State to attend the annual Maolud Nabbiy but capsized in the middle of the River Niger at a location withing the territory of Niger State shortly before arriving its destination.”
Ahmed stated that the avoidable accident apparently happened as a result of overloading as findings revealed that the wooden boat with a capacity for 200 passengers only was loaded with 285 on the ill-fated journey.
The lawmaker said, “at the conclusion of rescue operations, only 92 victims had been rescued alive, while 191 corpses, who are all indigenes of Gwajibo Mudi in Kaima local government area of Kwara State were recovered.”
He expressed concern that the unfortunate incident had left many families and households in Gwajibo Mudi Community devastated, while the Kaima Local Government and indeed the entire Kwarans are in a state of mourning.
Ahmed concluded the passengers also ignored the necessary safety measures such as the use of life jackets.
In a resolution, the House urged the State Emergency Management Agency to liaise with the National Emergency Management Agency to provide the survivors and families of the victims with relief materials to cushion the effect of the disaster on the Gwajibo Mudi community.
The legislative arm also urged the Ministry of Works and Transport to liaise with the National Inland Waterways Authority on the need for the agency to deploy its staff to all loading points on the Nigerian Waterways with a view to regulating operations and enforcing precautionary guidelines on water transport operations.
