The Nation Newspaper

Tag: boat

  • 50 die in Niger boat accident

    A boat accident at Kiri village in Munya Local Government of Niger State has claimed the lives of 50 persons.

    The Nation learnt the victims were travelling to Zumba market in Shiroro Local Government on Sunday morning.

    Sixty people were said to have boarded the boat, including men, women, youth and children. Only 50 bodies were found last night. Divers have been engaged to search for the remaining bodies.

    It was gathered that the heavy rain in the early hours of yesterday might have cause the accident.

    The spokesman for Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Mallam Hussaini, confirmed the accident.

    The police command said a team of Police Marine had been sent to the area to search for the bodies.a

  • 12 die, three missing as boat capsizes

    12 die, three missing as boat capsizes

    •Lagos urges respect for Court order on waterways

    Twelve persons died yesterday when a boat capsized at Ilashe in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State.

    Three others are missing.

    The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), which confirmed the casualty figure, said the boat was overloaded.

    In a statement, LASWA Managing Director Abisola Kamson said four rescued passengers were in hospital, adding that search-and-rescue was ongoing.

    Commiserating with the bereaved families, he said, the mishap had again brought to the fore the need for the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to respect the Court of Appeal’s verdict which upheld the state government’s powers to control its intra-inland waterways.

    The statement reads: “An unfortunate incident occurred at Ilashe today, Sunday, August 20, arising from overloading of passengers on a Banana boat taking off from an illegal Jetty which has become a perennial issue of the Lagos State Government to rid our waterfront areas of illegal operators.

    “We sympathise with the families of the deceased as nine lives were lost in the mishap and four peoples in the hospital.

    “The LASWA rescue team has been on ground and search is still ongoing. This brings to fore again the need for NIWA to allow the judgement of the Appeal Court granting Lagos control of her waterways to take effect without hindrance.

    “It is a matter for regret that ever since the judgement was pronounced, NIWA has ejected all state water guards monitoring standards from all federal owned jetties. In spite of this, the government of Lagos State aligns to the safety of citizens on the waterways. All Lagosians are enjoined to wear standard life jackets at all times on our waterways.”

  • Nine dead in Lagos boat mishap

    Nine dead in Lagos boat mishap

    The Lagos State Government on Sunday confirmed the death of nine persons in the boat mishap which occurred at the weekend in Ilashe area of the State.

    In a statement issued by the Managing Director of Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Engr Abisola Kamson, the State Government attributed the unfortunate mishap to overloading of passengers on a Banana Boat and operation of illegal jetty.

    Kamson said four victims of the mishap who were rescued are already receiving treatment at a nearby hospital, while search and rescue operation was still on-going.

    While commiserating with the families of those that lost their loved ones, the State Government said the mishap had again brought to the fore the need for the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to respect the recent verdict of the Court of Appeal which upheld the powers of the State Government to control its intra-inland waterways.

    Going into details of the mishap, Kamson said: “An unfortunate incident occurred at Ilashe today Sunday August 20th arising from overloading of passengers on a Banana boat taking off from an illegal Jetty which has become a perennial issue of the Lagos State Government to rid our Waterfront areas of illegal operators.

    “We sympathize with the families of the deceased as nine lives were lost in the mishap and four people receiving treatment in the hospital.

    “The LASWA rescue team has been on ground and search is still on-going. This brings to fore again the need for NIWA to allow the judgement of the Appeal Court granting Lagos Control of her waterways to take effect without hindrance.

    “It is a matter for regret that ever since the judgement was pronounced, NIWA has ejected all State Water Guards monitoring standards from all Federal owned Jetties. In spite of this, the Government of Lagos State aligns to the safety of citizens on the waterways. All Lagosians are enjoined to wear standard life jackets at all times on our Waterways,” Kamson said.

    Besides, the LASWA boss urged boat operators and other stakeholders in the inland waterways sector to adhere strictly to safety standards at all times.

  • Boat Mishap: seven die, 136 missing in Kebbi

    Boat Mishap: seven die, 136 missing in Kebbi

    No fewer than seven people have died and seven hospitalized in Ngaski Local Government Area of Kebbi when a boat carrying 150 passengers returning from Malali Market capsized along River Niger.

    The Coordinator of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in-charge of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States, Alhaji Sulaiman Muhammad, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ngaski on Saturday.

    He said that efforts were on going between fishermen and the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to rescue the missing passengers.

    “As soon as we had got the hint of the mishap, we put a call to the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority to help rescue the missing passengers.

    “All the people on board were missing, but as rescue and search continue wide and deep of the river intensified, 14 people have been discovered; seven died and seven have been taken to Ngaski Hospital,” he said.

    NAN gathered that the accident occurred when the boat on transit carrying 150 passengers hit a branch of tree in the water and capsized.

    Ngaski Local Government Area is two hours journey from the river where the incident happened. (NAN).

  • Navy intercepts boat with 80 bags of smuggled rice

    The Nigerian Navy said it had intercepted a boat carrying 80 bags of rice allegedly smuggled into the country from Benin Republic through water ways.

    A statement by the spokesman of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, Lt. Elizabeth Ibrahim, said the operatives attached to its Forward Operation Base (FOB), Badagry, intercepted the rice.

    The statement reads: “A wooden boat being used to ferry the bags of rice was also intercepted by naval operatives while on a patrol at the Iyana-Ipaahi water ways around the Badagry creeks.

    “The Commanding Officer, FOB Badagry, Capt. Abdulhakeem Ojebode, who handed over the seized bags of rice to the personnel of the Nigerian Customs, said the suspects jumped into the river on sighting the naval operatives. The operation also goes in line in supporting the Nigerian Customs in its duty of ensuring that smugglers don’t use our waterways to bring items adjudged contraband into Nigeria.”

    The statement also quoted the Deputy Comptroller Enforcement, Western Marine Command, Nigerian Customs, Mr Usman Abubakar, as commending the effectiveness of the navy’s intelligence gathering.

    “I appeal for continuous assistance from the navy to reduce smuggling to the barest minimum,” Abubakar said.

    He warned smugglers to desist from sabotaging the efforts of the government in revamping the economy.

    “The command will not relent in dealing with persons who decide to test the will of the customs and other security agencies,” he said.

  • Boat conductor ‘kills’ passenger’s brother

    Boat conductor ‘kills’ passenger’s brother

    The police have launched a manhunt for a boat conductor, Kole Adebayo, over the death of Abiona Ajisefinni at Igbogun village in Lekki Local Council Development Area of Lagos State on February 15.

    Last Friday, the police arrested the community’s Baale, Adekunle Onileiyan, but granted him bail to enable him produce the suspect.

    It was gathered that Adebayo’s father, a boat operator, was billed to attend a meeting at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) Panti, Yaba, but did not show up.

    His absence was said to have prompted the arrest of the Baale who came to represent him.

    According to sources, Adebayo stabbed the deceased with a sharp object while working as a conductor aboard his father’s boat.

    It was gathered that the suspect had a disagreement with the late Ajisefinni’s sister, Abosede, who was a passenger on the boat.

    The Nation learnt that Adebayo plucked some bananas from the bunch Abosede bought in the market, leading to quarrel between them. It was learnt that the argument led to a fight when they got to shore.

    The late Ajisefinni, who came to the waterfront to assist his sister with her load, sighted them fighting and rushed to her defence.

    Having settled the quarrel and scolded Adebayo for fighting with a woman, the late Ajisefinni carried his sister’s load and headed home.

    But unknown to him, the still enraged Adebayo allegedly pursued him stabbed him from behind.

    Adebayo was said to have fled the community with a friend, Asumo Giwa after the attack.

    A relative of the deceased who gave his name as Ahmed, said: “There was disagreement over payment for the banana because the boat conductor was just eating the banana the woman had bought for sale. In the course of the argument, Abosede told the conductor that she has his age mates as younger brothers at home and that one of them was around to assist her.

    “Immediately, the boat conductor heard younger  brother, he approached  Abiona Samuel Ajisefinni (deceased), who was assisting his sister to carry some goods and stabbed him in the neck with a spear. The boat conductor is a village tout but he worked with his father that day.

    “The deceased was rushed to Akodo General Hospital but died while in transit. The murder case was reported at Akodo Police Station but later transferred to SCIID Panti, Lagos Mainland. We are just pleading with the police to ensure justice is done. Our son should not die in vain.”

  • 13 die in boat mishap, tanker fire in Niger

    A total of seven people have died in a boat mishap on River Gbako in Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State on Friday, an official of the state emergency agency said.

    Similarly, six people also died when fuel laden tankers collided in Mokwa.

    Malam Ahmed Inga, Director General, Niger State Emergency Management Agency told newsmen in Minna on Saturday that four women and three children drawned when the boat they were travelling in capsised.

    He explained that the boat was conveying 10 female farmers from Balsa community to a rice farm across the river.

    Inga said that three women were rescued by local divers after the accident, which occurred at about 11 am.

    “Yabagi Ibrahim, the owner of the farm lost a wife, a daughter and granddaughter in the unfortunate incident,” he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Gbako river is located on the border between Katcha and Lavun local government area of the state.

    Similarly, six people also died when fuel laden tankers caused multiple accidents in Mokwa, the headquarters of Mokwa Local Government area of the state.

    The director general said that two petrol tankers were invoolved in the accident which occurred on Friday due to break failure.

    “It was said to have hit the one in front, which veered off the road and rammed against the wall of a guest house in the town,” he said.

    He said that the tanker with the failed break also hit another one parked with the product by the side of the road, causing an explosion and fire.

    Inga said many people sustained injuries, with two in critical condition and receiving treatment at Mokwa General Hospital.(NAN)

  • One dead, 28 rescued in boat mishap

    One dead, 28 rescued in boat mishap

    One person was yesterday confirmed dead when an overloaded passenger boat capsized in Lagos.

    The accident occurred around 10am behind Dangote Company at Ebute in Ikorodu.

    It was gathered that the boat named HMS carried 28 instead of 21 passengers and a crew member.

    The Nation also gathered that the Victoria Island-bound boat was overspeeding and rammed into a wood.

    It was learnt that the quick intervention of rescuers from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), Nigeria Inland Waterway Authority (NIWA) and the police minimised the casualty.

    LASEMA said the boat, which took off from Ikorodu en route Victoria Island was overloaded.

    According to the agency “instead of 21 passengers, the boat had 28 passengers on board and was said to be on high speed when it collided with woods on the waterways resulting to the mishap.”

    Confirming the incident, LASWA’s Managing Director Ms Bisola Kamson, in a statement, said: “The boat named HMS 2 with 30 passengers’ capacity travelling with 28 passengers from the Origin Jetty to the Addax Jetty in Victoria Island, after travelling 400 meters from the Origin Jetty hit a log submerged in the waterways, which damaged the single hull of the boat causing the boat to sink”.

    She said 27 passengers were rescued; one was confirmed dead at the scene of the accident.

    Investigation showed that all the passengers were wearing life jackets.

    Kamson reiterated that LASWA and NIWA had issued new guidelines and standards aimed at sanitising and improving the waterways including a minimum double hull standard, among others.

    The government, she said, would continue to intensify efforts to speed up the implementation of the reforms to prevent a recurrence.

    LASEMA’s General Manager Michael Akindele urged boat operators to avoid over speeding and to always comply with safety regulations. He said “detailed” investigation would be conducted on the incident.

  • Association seeks good environment for boat operators

    The Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transport of Nigeria (ATBOWTON) on Monday called on the Lagos State Government to provide an enabling environment for boat operators to thrive in the country.

    The ATBOWTON National President, Mr Ganiyu Balogun, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that government’s policies had not helped the growth of the industry.

    Balogun said some association members had, sometime in the past, wanted to develop the sector by providing capacity building and infrastructure but they were hindered by government’s policies.

    He urged the state to also be flexible in its policies’ implementation to encourage positive development in water transportation.

    Balogun urged the state government to earmark portions of land in every local government area as dumpsites to minimise dumping of refuse into the waterways by the public.

    He said throwing faeces into the waterways could also be curbed, if public toilets were provided at strategic locations all over the state and the country also.

    “Dumping of refuse and faeces in the waterways pollutes the waterways and causes it to smell; and this has always deterred the average tourist from plying the waterways.

    “Apart from this, when refuse and feaces get into the boats’ engines, it destroys them. We need to have a neat and organised society,’’ Balogun said.

    He, however, lauded the Lagos State Government for deploying marine police officers to functional jetties that in the state.

    “Each of the jetties is now being manned by two marine policemen, and this has drastically reduced the crime rate.

    “We love this development but we want more friendly laws that will enable us take water transportation to the next level,’’ Balogun added.

  • Senator Tinubu donates boat to community

    Senator Tinubu donates boat to community

    To facilitate movement in the riverine areas, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has donated a boat to Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos.

    Boat mishap has been on the rise in riverine communities with attendant loss of lives. Senator Tinubu, representing Lagos Central Senatorial District, handed over the boat to the Iru-Victoria Island Local Council Development Area Executive Secretary Prince Abayomi Daramola at Tarzan Jetty on Victoria Island, Lagos, last Saturday.

    Accompanied by some leaders of the district, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, Omoba Murphy Adetoro and Alhaji Mutiu Are, Senator Tinubu appealed to ministries handling constituency projects to ensure their completion.

    She said: “We owe our people back home the duty to make their communities habitable and improve their standard of living. When we have constituency projects, we appeal to them to finish it irrespective of party affiliation.

    “Most of the constituency projects are either not completed or abandoned and we don’t know the contractors. I believe that as Nigerians, if you get a contract, you should be able to do it. Though, I learnt the contractors complained that they didn’t give them enough mobilisation fees. If you give out contracts, give enough mobilisation fees so that they can be completed on time.”

    Senator Tinubu said she handed over the boat to the council for monitoring and upkeep, adding: “It is a new boat and I believe it will go a long way to serve the communities and ameliorate their sufferings.”

    Daramola thanked her for the gesture, saying: “The donation will no doubt assist us in reaching out to the people in the riverine areas especially in the delivery of adequate and prompt primary health care and educational services.”

    He urged other elected officers to emulate Senator Tinubu so that “we may together lift our people, communities and nation at large.

    “We have a lot of staff working in the riverine area; some of them work in our primary health centres and schools. Moving there twice daily has been cumbersome, but with this, it would ease their movement. Likewise, the community would use the boat in case of emergency and in other cases.”