A boat said to conveying over 200 passengers, including market women who were traveling from Kogi State to the Katcha weekly market in Niger State through the River Niger has capsized.

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) whilr confirming the incident on Friday, said that the market women were on their way to the market in the morning when the tragedy occurred.

The Head of NIWA’s Media Department, Suleman Makama said: “It’s true there was a boat mishap involving a significant number of women heading to the market in Niger State.

“We are still investigating to ascertain the number of people involved and the cause of the accident,” he said.

As of the time of this report, eight bodies have been recovered, while search-and-rescue operations are ongoing to locate the remaining passengers.

Makama added that he is awaiting management’s clearance to issue an official statement with detailed information about the incident.

When asked how long this would take, he said, he could not provide a specific timeline but assured he would update the media as soon as possible.

The Managing Director of NIWA, Mr. Bola Oyebanji, had previously identified human error, drug use, and non-compliance with rules and regulations as the primary causes of boat mishaps over the past three years.

Speaking during an oversight visit by the House of Representatives Committee on NIWA to the authority’s headquarters in Lokoja, Oyebanji reiterated NIWA’s commitment to ensuring the safety of Nigerians using water transportation.

“Over 99% of mishaps on our waterways result from human error. Research shows operators are making avoidable mistakes, often with tragic consequences,” he said.

He also noted that some operators rely on drugs, impairing their judgment and leading to grave mistakes.

According to him, many are resistant to following safety protocols, such as operating wooden boats far beyond their capacity, sometimes carrying 150 to 200 passengers at a time.

Oyebanji said that the recently signed transportation code needs stricter enforcement, as many operators fail to adhere to its requirements, including the provision of life jackets for passengers.

Eyewitnesses said the boat, owned by one Musa Dangana, capsized along the Dambo-Ebuchi section of the River Niger.

The Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder (NNS) has rescued over 250 persons, including children in a boat mishap, that occurred along Buguma waterways in Asari- Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The cargo boat, MV Precious Emmanuel was said to be conveying goods worth millions of Naira from Sangana in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, to Nembe jetty in Port Harcourt, when it capsized around 10:30pm on Sunday, after hitting a wreck.

It was also gathered that the cargo boat conveying goods such as baskets of smoked fish, crayfish, bunches of plantains, and numerous  crates of alcoholic beverages, others.

The Commander of NNS Pathfinder, Commodore Desmond Igbo, said no casualty was recorded due to the quick response of operatives of the Nigerian Navy.

Igbo, however, stressed on the need for boat operators and water travellers to adhere to safety measures, particularly by putting on life vests.

He said: “Immediately the incident happened, our men were deployed for search and rescue. To the glory of God and to the quick response of our men, no casualty was recorded and non of them was even injured. 

“Apart from fighting against oil thieves and maritime crimes, we (Navy)also protect lives, as part of our mandate. As you can see, non of them on-board that boat wore live jackets, and we have been hammering on safety that everyone transiting from one point to another on water must wear a live jackets.

“Recall that we launched the emergency rescue at sea, and it is pertinent to tell you that the NNS Pathfinder has documented a procedure to establish an Emergency Maritime Unit in the state. We want the government to come in an establish a full-fledged rescue unit at sea.”

One of the victims who survived the wreck, Samuel Ikpe, said he lost goods worth over N1.5million.

He commended the Nigerian Navy for rescuing them and called on the government to support them, as they have lost their source of livelihoods.

Ikpe, whose wife and a one-year old baby were also rescued, said they were used to not wearing life jackets while conveying goods from any part of Bayelsa State to Port Harcourt, since the boat was a house boat.

“We left Sangana by 4:30pm and got to this place where the incident occured around 10:30pm. 

I really thanked the Navy for rescuing us, even my baby of one year old nearly drown but for the intervention of the Nigerian Navy who gave us life jackets and also jump inside the water to rescue us.

“I have lost four baskets of fishes. The government should help us.”

Commending the Navy, Manager of the cargo boat, Mr Prosper Isokari, said no lives was lost as a result of the of the intervention by the Nigerian Navy who gave them life jackets and also jumped inside the boat to rescue them.

“As we were coming, the wind and tide were very strong. The wind and the tide pushed the boat into the wreck which punctured the boat and water start coming inside the boat with force. About 200 persons were onboard the boat

“I thank the Nigerian Navy for rescuing us. They gave us life jackets and life bout, some of them jumped inside the water to rescue us”, Isokari added.