The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) said it sent an emergency rescue team to search for missing passengers after a merchant boat capsized in the waters of the Ebe community in Kupa South Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Preliminary findings by NIWA indicate that the wooden boat was travelling to the Katcha market in Niger State when it suddenly went under due to poor visibility and overloading.
The wooden craft, operated by an unknown boat operator left with an unsubstantiated number of passengers, from an abandoned jetty at 1 am on Friday with the intent to beat NIWA’s tight surveillance on the waterways.
To unravel the cause of the accident, the Authority said it set up an investigation panel to ascertain the real cause, the total number of passengers on board, and the owner of the craft.
Meanwhile, the top management team of NIWA said they led and coordinated the rescue operations and ensured the survivors of the boat mishap received urgent medical attention.
Read also: Oyetola charges NIWA to enforce Waterways Transportation Code
The Authority, however, assured Nigerians that it would release more information after the investigation.
“We are shocked by this incident despite our efforts to sensitise Nigerians about safety measures on waterways. Not quite long after, we unveiled the National Waterways Transportation Code, visited communities and stakeholders to make them buy into our strategy to curb accidents on water,” said Bola Oyebamiji, managing director of NIWA.
According to him, the Authority already had discussions with State governors to partner with them in providing safe watercraft to move people and goods safely in the nation’s waterways.
He said NIWA would investigate the accident and prosecute the boat captain and owner for deliberate disobedience to the extant law on waterways.
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