200 Women Involved in Kogi Boat Accident, Casualties Undetermined

Kehinde Fajobi

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has confirmed a boat accident involving over 200 passengers, mainly market women from Kogi State, on the River Niger.

Suleman Makama, NIWA’s Head of Media, stated on Friday that the mishap occurred on Thursday along the Dambo-Ebuchi section of the river as the women travelled to the Katcha weekly market in Niger State.

“It’s true that there was a boat mishap on Thursday involving quite a number of women heading to the market in Niger State. We are still investigating to determine the number of people involved and the cause of the accident,” Makama said.

According to eyewitnesses, the overloaded boat, owned by Musa Dangana, carried over 200 passengers, including market traders and farm labourers.

As of now, eight bodies have been recovered, and search and rescue efforts are ongoing to locate missing passengers.

Makama added that he is awaiting authorisation from NIWA management before issuing an official statement with comprehensive details, Punch reported.

“I can’t give a specific time frame but will get back to you as soon as possible,” he said.

In response to frequent waterway accidents, NIWA Managing Director Bola Oyebanji recently highlighted human errors, drug abuse, and non-compliance with safety regulations as leading causes of such tragedies.

Speaking during a House of Representatives oversight visit to NIWA’s headquarters in Lokoja on Wednesday, Oyebanji said, “Ninety-nine per cent of mishaps on the waterways result from human errors.”

He also criticised the overloading of boats and the absence of safety measures such as life jackets.

“It’s unacceptable for wooden boats to carry over 150 to 200 passengers, far exceeding their capacity,” he said, urging stricter adherence to safety rules under the new transportation code.

Efforts to ensure waterway safety remain a priority, according to NIWA.