Death toll in Lagos boat accident now seven

By Precious Igbonwelundu and Oziegbe Okoeki

One more body was on Sunday retrieved from the Ikorodu waterway, bringing to seven the number of deaths recorded in Friday night’s boat accident.

The Lagos State Waterway Authority (LASWA) said all 14 survivors were rescued that same night, adding that the bodies were recovered in batches of four, two and one on Friday night, Saturday and yesterday respectively.

A passenger boat which left Ebute Ero in Lagos Island for Ikorodu around 8pm on Friday capsized midway into its journey, tumbling all passengers and crew into the water.

Some of the passengers on board were identified as Layiwola, Ademola Jamilat, Ajobola, Olabisi, Sikiru, Ikome, Charles, Adesua, Iya Tobi, Tunde, Vivian, Peter, Monday, Bisi, Olalekan, Emeka, Victor, Ebeta and Korede Bada.

Read Also: PHOTOS: Death toll of Lagos boat accident

Director-General of LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the boat operators violated a ban on night ride, and had 21 passengers rather than 14 recommended.

The state government has again warned residents to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drainages, explaining that such practice damages the roads.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Aramide Adeyoye said this while inspecting urgent palliative work being carried out by Public Works Corporation on the Mile 2 section of Lagos-Badagry Expressway which has deteriorated.

According to the Special Adviser, “Though the rehabilitation and expansion work on the Lagos – Badagry Expressway is progressing as scheduled, it has become necessary to intervene and make the Mile 2 section of the road motor able for commuters plying the route”

Speaking against the backdrop of the volume of refuse removed during the palliative works from the drains along the Mile 2 section and the attendant impact on the dilapidated state of the road, Adeyoye who visited the site in the company of Special Adviser to the Governor on Drainage, Mr Joe Igbokwe, called for attitudinal change by residents.

According to the Special Adviser, “A road is as good as its drains and dumping refuse inside drains does not only compromise the integrity of the asphaltic surface, it also undermines the durability of the roads especially now that the rains are here; without a functional drainage system, the roads provided cannot be sustained,” she said.