No fewer than 26 persons died in a boat accident around 4.30 on Tuesday evening, in Ibaji Local Government Area, Kogi State.
The accident involved mainly traders who were travelling from Ibaji Local Government Area to Ilushi market in Edo State. Commissioner of Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, confirmed the incident in a condolence message on behalf of Governor Ahmed Ododo yesterday.
About 37 traders have lost their lives in a boat accident in Kwara State.
The mishap occurred in Gbajibo-Mudi community, Kaiama Local Government Area.
Last October, at the same Gbajibo, a boat ferrying worshippers who went for Maulud celebration in Mokwa Local Government of Niger State capsized, killing over 200 passengers who were returning home.
The latest accident was said to have occurred in the evening of the anniversary of the ill-fated day when the traders were returning to their Niger State homes.
The about 100-passenger capacity boat, a source said, was loaded and exacerbated by the rising waters of River Niger.
Chairman of Kaiama Local Government, Abubakar Abdullahi, and Emir of Kaiama, Alhaji Muazu Shehu Omar, were on ground to sympathise with the community, former chairman of the local government Mahmoud S Gbajibo, who confirmed the incident, said in WhatsApp message.
He said bodies were recovered from the river by the rescue team of the community.
He added: “The boat accident occurred about 6pm on Thursday after the traders who closed from the market in Gbajigbo Mudi and were returning to their various communities in Niger State when the tragic incident occurred.
The state Police Command did not confirm the accident.
However, the spokesperson of the state Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, confirmed the incident in a telephone conversation.
Mr Adekunle added that the community had buried their dead before informing the service.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has sent his condolences to the families of the victims of the mishap.
In a statement, the governor’s media aide, Rafiu Ajakaye, Mallam AbdulRazaq, said: “The governor again urges boat operators and passengers to adhere to safety regulations for the good of all, describing as painful and unacceptable a culture of not using safety gadgets repeatedly provided by the government.
“He prays to God to repose the souls of the victims.”
No fewer than seven people died and 16 others were injured in an accident yesterday on the Agaie-Badeggi Road in Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State.
The truck, which was carrying Federal Government’s grains and 36 male passengers, was enroute from Lagos to Kano when it crashed at Essa community.
According to the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), the accident was caused by the bad portions of the road at the Lambata-Bida axis.
Of the victims, 11 sustained serious injuries while those of the five others were minor. Some of the injured were taken to health centres in Badeggi and Agaie, while others were transported by their fellow travellers.
NSEMA added that most of the deceased victims were taken away from the scene by their relatives.
The search and rescue were carried out by NSEMA officials with the help of villagers and commuters.
Twenty more bodies were recovered yesterday from the river in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State where a boat carrying 300 people capsized.
This brings the number of bodies recovered to 36 with 114 feared dead.
The boat was returning to Gbajibo from Mundi after the annual Maulud celebration when disaster struck.
It capsized at about 8.30 pm on Independence Day.
Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) Director General, Abdullahi Baba Arah, told our reporter: “We have recovered additional 20 bodies this morning, bringing the total to 36.”
Exactly 150 persons were rescued when the boat capsized.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to probe the accident.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu also commiserated with the families of the victims and prayed for the repose of the souls of the dead.
He expressed gratitude to emergency workers and local divers who are working tirelessly to locate the remaining missing persons.
The statement reads: “President Tinubu has sent condolences to the government and people of Niger State over the boat accident which occurred Tuesday night at Mokwa Local Government Area.
“The boat, which was said to be carrying about 300 people, primarily women and children, was sailing on the Gbajibo River from the Mundi community when it capsized.
“While at least 150 people were rescued from the scene, 25 bodies have so far been recovered.
“President Tinubu commiserates with the families of the victims and prays for the repose of the souls of the dead.
“The President directs NIWA to investigate the spate of boat accidents in Niger state and across the country and devise modalities to check the trend.
“He orders NIWA to expand the scope of its surveillance of inland waters to ensure our people’s safety and prosecute boat operators violating the ban on night sailing.
“President Tinubu thanked emergency workers and local divers who were working to find the remaining people.”
The Ubbe community in Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area of Nasarawa State is in sorrow over the sudden death of four members in a mysterious boat accident on a river in Awe Local Government Area of the state. Particularly distressed is the Dauda family of which the deceased graduates and undergraduates were members.
The victims were crossing River Awe to Wuse village in a boat on Monday evening to harvest rice from their farm when their canoe capsized. Among the deceased were Shedrack Dauda, 29, who had just graduated top of his class at the Nasarawa State University in Keffi, Akolo Moses Dauda and Meshach Dauda, who are also undergraduates of the university, and Alkali Congo Dauda, 39, who had just graduated from the College of Education Akwanga.
It was gathered that the tragic incident occurred on Monday while they were travelling to their rice farm in Wuse for harvesting. Although there are different accounts of the incident, the most popular is that the river’s tide forced the boat to hit a tree, culminating in the accident.
The entire Ubbe community has since been thrown into mourning over the death of four educated members of the same family.
A witness, Mr Ibrahim Abu, said the deceased victims had barely boarded the boat for three minutes when the accident occurred.
Abu said: “The four young men came with their bags and boarded the boat. Three minutes after take-off, the boat capsized and all the four young university graduates in the boat died.
“I don’t know what happened when they took off, but the boat broke inside the river.
Abu lamented that the people of Wuse resort to water transportation because there are no access roads leading to the community.
“Our problem is that there is no access road that connects all the Wuse communities. We have no choice but to travel on water.
The aged mother of the siblings was far from getting over the disaster when our correspondent visited as she grappled with an experience her fragile posture could hardly bear. In a short speech amid tears, Mrs Dauda said her children had planned to pursue their academic programmes to master’s level.
The entire Dauda family was in pensive mood when our correspondent visited. It took the reporter some time to get them to speak about the death of their four grown up loves ones.
Sitting dejected in a corner of the house was a relative of the deceased victims, Joseph Congo Dauda.
Tears rolled down his cheeks before he could utter a word. But after gaining some composure, he sat back, clear his throat and declared that he would speak only briefly about the lives and times of the victims and the misfortune that befell the family.
Dauda said the entire family was living happily before tragedy struck on November 6. He said the deceased young men were workaholics who had chosen to assist their parents by engaging in farm activities to support the home front and support their education and other family needs. Consequently, he said, they acquired some lands in Wuse where they farmed rice.
Dauda said: “They were actually travelling to the farm to harvest their rice ahead of the Christmas celebration and school resumption in January
“We were in constant communication throughout the trip, even at the point of boarding the boat. Little did they or we at home know that they were on a journey of no return. A few minutes after they boarded the boat, we received the sad news that the boat capsized in the middle of the river and consumed them.
“We raised these children ourselves. The parents are not well to do people, but with their strong determination, they were able to make it through secondary school and up to the university and college of education.
“We never thought the four of them could die in one swoop. In fact, they died while working to build their future. I said so because they were going to harvest their rice farm to help them clear their educational needs.
“They were already laying a foundation for themselves to be self-sustained. They were so obedient, calm and focused on pursuing their dreams in life. I still can’t believe the pain of this whole loss. My heart is broken.
“I cannot believe that I will never see them again. I literally can’t bear it. The four young university graduates were already thinking of pursuing further studies to build a solid future. Sadly, death sneaked in, in a mysterious and cruel manner, killing not just one but the four of them in one swoop.
“We are going to accept what has happened, and I’m not blaming anybody for this. But I am appealing to both the state and federal government to construct a bridge, not only across the Awe River but other rivers around the country to avoid boat mishaps.
“Our plan for Shedrack, who was the first to graduate from the University before the other ones, was to support them in their educational pursuit to, at least, master’s level, so that in the future, they will have a great impact on the society
“We wanted them to be financially stable so that they would help the underprivileged in the society and contribute to the growth of Nasarawa State. Unfortunately, man proposes, God disposes.
“The four of them are no more. Sometimes it is ideal to question God’s work, but because He is invisible, you don’t see Him to question. Taking four graduates away in a family at a time is painful, to say the least.
“The children were very peaceful. They never had issues with people even in school. Throughout their period in primary, secondary to tertiary institutions, they never had any disagreement with anybody. They loved God so much and they were very mindful of how they relate with people because they did not like having misunderstanding with anyone.”
Asked what he and the family would miss about them, Dauda said: “We will miss so many things about them. Shedrack was a very good young man to the family. While he was growing up, especially after his graduation from the university in Keffi, he decided that he would learn some craft in Lafia and also assist his brothers to achieve their academic programmes, which was why he went with them to Awe to help them harvest rice.
“It is always his wish to assist his siblings. He supported us greatly even while in school. We will continue to miss and be proud of him. He was indeed a good young man.
“The death of four graduates in one fell swoop is a big tragedy and the entire Ubbe community has been crying since Monday when the news was broken. Their death came to us as a shock. The situation is really hard for us but we just cannot question God. He knows best, so we have to accept our fate.
The distraught mother Mrs Dauda explained amid tears that due to the difficult times, training four children in the higher institution at the same time was actually a difficult task, but the “committed and determined” young boys decided that they would return to the farm to assist their parents in settling some of their educational needs.
She said: “They farm rice yearly in far away Awe Local Government Area, and during holidays, they collectively travel there to harvest it to assist themselves in settling their school fees when they are resuming in January so as to save their parents the stress of catering for their school needs alone.
“Losing them in their prime is a lifetime scar; it will never heal. It is traumatic.”
She said their mysterious death was a bad dream she wished she could wake up from to hear it never happened.
“Why didn’t God take away my life? These children are the ones to bury me and not me burying them. What then is the meaning of life?
“I was already feeling fulfilled in life when Shedrack graduated from the university. He didn’t even wait to enjoy the fruit of his labour. He left alongside his brothers. What a world!
“Despite the difficulties, the boys kept encouraging me not to lose hope in life; that the future was bright. They had all the hope that the days/years ahead would be better.“They had good plans for me and the entire family, and they never foresaw death in the near future.
“Before their trip to Awe, the boys and I were inseparable. They gave me true love, cared so much about me and were constantly in touch with me even when they were in school.
“They meant well for the entire family. They always encouraged me to endure the hardship; that it was a matter of time. Now the time has not come and they are no more.
“God is not fair to the entire family. He has inflicted a permanent wound in my entire life. There is absolutely no point taking them away at the same time in their prime. What is their offence? My joy has been stolen, my expectations were to see them grow up to become men in the society, but God took them back.
“It is only God that can console us for us for we don’t have much to do to console ourselves. I will miss them so much. No one on earth can fill the space they have left in my life. My children were easy going people, good and dutiful, always committed to achieving whatever they wanted to achieve by leaving no stone unturned.
“We are badly touched by this whole loss. Their untimely exit from this sinful world has left us all distraught.”
A pastor, Rev. Solomon, who was friends with the deceased graduates, urged the family members not to query God over the incident, saying Christians should know that living and dying are in God’s control.
He advised Christians to emulate Christ, adding that because Jesus submitted himself to God’s authority, though He died, He later rose on the third day
According to him, Christians should know that the death of the four was of God and not of man. He said if the people understood life’s mystery, it would help them to correct and discard things denying them of God’s glory.
“It is God alone that can console the family for we don’t have much to do that will console them. The Daudas are for God and so, only God will console them.
“Jesus was for God and He died for God and because of that, we have life. It is therefore true that those who died in God will return to life as Jesus did, because He lives. May God enable those living to realise this and give God thanks in all things.”
Rev. Solomon said he was heartbroken over the incident, commiserating with the family in its moment of grief.
“I’m deeply sad because of this incident. We are together in it. The word of God is peace and in anything, he says there is peace.
“Our prayer for the Dauda family is that God will give them peace. We know what the people recorded in the Bible suffered and in the end, God repaid them.”
He prayed that such calamity would never be repeated in the land.
Three persons were confirmed dead, when a boat carrying 20 passengers capsized between Liverpool and Coconut Under Bridge in Lagos on Wednesday.
Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) General Manager (GM) Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu said yesterday that rescue team was still searching for the missing passengers.
The boat en route Ojo from Liverpool capsized around 8.20pm a few minutes after take-off.
Tiamiyu said: “Twelve of the passengers were rescued by the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) officials and local divers.
“Two men and one woman were confirmed dead. The three bodies have been bagged. They were handed over to the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU), to be deposited at the morgue.
“A female victim, identified as Alhaja, was handed over to her family after documentation by the Marine Police Officers,” he said.
At least five persons on Wednesday evening died after an Ikorodu bound boat capsized mid river.
The boat belonging to Blue Boat Limited was said to be coming from CMS, Lagos Island and had 18 passengers when it hit a dead wood and capsized.
Among the deceased, it was gathered were four females and a male, all adults, who were taken to Ikorodu General Hospital mortuary by rescuers.
According to the Managing Director, Lagos Inland Waterways Authority (LASWA), Damilola Emmanuel, 13 persons were rescued.
He said: “Blue Boat Ferry was travelling from Marina Jetty heading towards Ikorodu Terminal loaded with 18 passengers and two crew members.
“The boat capsized at about few minutes after 5pm while it was on its last leg of the journey not too far from destination.
“Thirteen people have been rescued while five are dead. We are still searching for the remaining two persons.”
He said the boat has been recovered from the scene while joint rescue effort by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), LASWA patrol team and boat operators was ongoing.
Emmanuel said upon completion of rescue efforts, a thorough investigation into the cause of the incident would be conducted.
He said: “We are deeply saddened by this incident by a lone boat on Tuesday evening by 5pm. Immediately we were informed, we mobilised our emergency rescue team and we were able to save 13 persons. Unfortunately we lost five persons.
“We have recovered the boat, and once rescue effort is concluded, we will begin investigation into what caused the incident to prevent such going forward. Some eye witnesses have told us that the boat was leaking, however, we would do a thorough investigation to know what exactly transpired.”
The LASWA boss, who also confirmed that the passengers were wearing life jackets as at the time of the incident, said the casualties may have been caused by the high tide of the sea.
The number of illegal immigrants killed after their boat sank off the southeastern coast of Tunisia on Sunday has risen to 112, according to the UNs’ migration agency.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) updated the death toll on its Twitter account on Tuesday.
The ill-fated boat was packed with about 180 migrants, including 80 from other African countries, local media had reported earlier.
A total of 68 illegal immigrants — 60 Tunisians and eight foreigners — were rescued by the coastguard.
The spokesman of the Interior Ministry, Khalifa Chibani, said on Monday that Tunisian security forces intercepted eight individuals involved in planning the case off the island of Kerkennah on Saturday evening.
Tunisia has become an important new route for migrants trying to reach Europe in the past year, and Kerkennah is known as one of the main illegal gateways.
According to IOM, since the beginning of this year, about 1,910 Tunisian migrants have reached Italy by sea.
The Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights said in a study that 9,329 Tunisians attempted to cross the Mediterranean in 2017, with 34 per cent intercepted by Tunisian maritime forces.
So far, no less than 900 illegal immigrants have been prevented from crossing Tunisian maritime borders since the beginning of this year’s Ramadan, which began on May 17, according to the Interior Ministry
A boat tipped over in a river in northern Democratic Republic of Congo, drowning 49 people on board while about the same number survived the accident, a local official told a Congolese radio station.
Richard Mboyo Iluka, vice governor of remote Tshuapa province, in northern Congo, told Radio Top Congo that the whaleboat had sunk with all of its passengers late on Wednesday.
Deadly boat accidents are common in Congo, a vast, forested country which has few roads outside of major towns and is carved up by a network of rivers that drain the Congo Basin.
Six people were feared dead in a boat accident that occured in the early hours of yesterday, following a boat accident at Ebbe, Lokoja Local Government Area of Kogi State.
They were on their way to the popular Miza Friday Market in Katcha.
Reports had it that goods worth hundreds of thousands of naira were lost in the accident that occurred around the border town separating Kogi and Niger states.
The incident was as a result of an head-on collision with an oncoming boat.
Both boats, it was gathered, had aboard mostly women and children.
The women were mainly traders in smoked fish from surrounding villages and communities to the market.
One of the survivors, Muhammadu Ndalugi, blamed the accident on poor visibility.
He said that the drivers, despite the sounds from their boat engines, could not see clearly, hence the collision.
A relative of one of the victims, Ayishetu Ahmadu, could not control her tears as she narrated the loss of her aunt, whom she said, was on the boat from Ebbe.
“My aunt had been used to going to Katcha Market and she was famous for her jovial nature, but today, Allah has decreed that she had to go, and there is nothing anyone can do about it,” she said in tears.
No fewer than 53 traders were feared dead in a boat accident on River Niger in Bagudo, Kebbi State.
Chairman of the Bagudo Local Government Council Alhaji Muhammad Zagga, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview that the traders were on the way to a market when the accident occurred.
“Majority of the traders are from Gaya Village in Niger Republic.
“They were going to a market in Lolo when their boat capsized,” he said.
Zagga said out of about 100 passengers on board the boat, 47 were rescued. The others could not yet be accounted for.
The chairman said that the authorities in Niger Republic had deplored 500 divers to search for the missing people.
Acting Director-General of Kebbi State Emergency Management Agency Alhaji Abbas Rabi’u, described the incident as unfortunate and disastrous.
“The victims were mostly traders from Niger Republic,” he said.
Also in the state, an outbreak of gastroenteritis has killed 18 people at Dole-Kaina in Dandi Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 18 people were among the 216 victims that were admitted at the border hospital in Kamba area of Dandi local government area.
Deputy Nursing Officer in the area Mr Lawal Saidu, told reporters that the victims were stooling and vomiting excessively when they were brought to the hospital, but they died while on treatment.
According to him, the hospital had been admitting and treating people daily for the disease.
“Yes, there is an outbreak of cholera; we lost 18 out of the 216 people that have been brought on admission here last week,” he confirmed.
NAN recalls that Dole-Kaina was part of the communities that were affected by flood recently.