Stakeholders, especially boat users across the country have expressed outrage over the incessant boat mishaps that have claimed over 300 lives since the appointment of Mr. Munirudeen Oyebamiji as the Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) in 2023.
They argue that under his leadership, NIWA has failed to address the alarming frequency of boat accidents, insecurity and kidnappings, which continue to claim innocent lives across the country.
Checks by our correspondent revealed that no fewer than 320 people have died in boat accidents since September 2023, when he was appointed as Managing Director of the agency, with hardly a month passing without reports of fatalities on the country’s inland waterways.
Many stakeholders have attributed these mishaps to overloading, poorly-maintained crafts, engine failures, and a lack of safety equipment. On the strength of these recurring tragedies, boat users have accused the NIWA leadership of inaction, describing the agency as being “asleep”
Our correspondent noted that September 2023 marked the beginning of series of devastating boat accidents since Oyebamiji’s appointment. For instance, in Adamawa State, two separate incidents claimed more than 26 lives within a span of three days. On September 8, a boat carrying 23 people capsized in Njuwa Lake, Yola South LGA, killing at least 15 passengers. Barely three days later, another boat, overloaded with 40 passengers, capsized in Kwatan Mallam Adamu, Fufore LGA, resulting in 11 deaths.
Just two days after the second Adamawa accident, another tragedy occurred in Niger State, when a boat conveying over 100 passengers to their farms on the other side of the River Niger capsized in Mokwa LGA on September 10, leading to the recovery of at least 30 bodies. The incident, like many others, was attributed to overloading and the use of an ageing boats.
Also, our correspondent gathered that on October 2, a boat carrying 34 passengers capsized in the Yauri axis of the River Niger, near the Agwara LGA of Niger State. The boat was en route to Yauri market when tragedy occurred just a few metres from its destination. Four bodies were recovered from the river, while several others were declared missing. The bodies were never seen.
In the same month of October precisely on October 7, a boat carrying women and children fleeing floodwaters in Ogbaru LGA, Anambra State, capsized, killing 76 passengers.
Majority of the victims were mothers and their children, who were trying to escape their flooded communities. According to survivors, the boat driver lost control after sailing into heavy waves, causing the vessel to collide with a bridge support. The sheer number of lives lost in this accident left the nation in shock, with many questioning the effectiveness of NIWA’s safety oversight.
Two more tragic incidents followed later in the month. On October 26, two bodies were recovered after a boat crossing from Olorunsogo to the Isawo area of Lagos capsized. Four passengers were rescued alive, but the tragedy once again highlighted the dangers of travelling on Nigeria’s poorly-regulated waterways. Just two days later, on October 28, another boat mishap in the Karim Lamido area of Taraba State claimed the lives of more than 20 people.
As November 2023 rolled in, hopes of reduced accidents quickly evaporated. On November 6, four residents of Nasarawa State drowned when a boat carrying rice farmers capsized in Awe LGA. The passengers were returning from their farms when the accident occurred, and despite efforts by local divers to save them, their bodies were recovered hours later.
In a separate incident on November 12, eight more people died in a boat mishap in the Ibi LGA of Taraba State. The cause of the accident was linked to engine failure and rough waters, a recurring theme in many of the year’s boat accidents.
The lack of life jackets and inadequate safety measures were again cited as major contributing factors.
Stakeholders at this point began calling for the resignation of Mr Oyebamiji, accusing him of failing to provide the leadership necessary to improve safety on the waterways.
As the year came to a close, the frequency of boat accidents showed no signs of abating. On December 11, a boat accident in Gamadio LGA of Adamawa State left two people missing, while three others were rescued. The search for the missing persons continued for days, but their bodies were never recovered.
The new year brought little relief. On January 10, 2024, 11 people, including children, lost their lives in a boat mishap along the Andoni-Bonny coastal waters in Rivers State. The accident involved two passenger boats plying the route, and it was later revealed that neither of the boats was equipped with life jackets for passengers.
February 2024 witnessed series of accidents that once again underscored the lack of safety measures on Nigeria’s waterways. On February 21, an Ibeshe-bound ferry collided with a submerged concrete structure near the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge in Lagos, leaving one person dead. Less than a week later, on February 26, a 20-passenger boat capsized in the Ibeshe/Ikorodu area, killing three passengers. Despite the intervention of local boat operators and rescue teams, the accident reignited concerns about the poor regulation of boat operations in Lagos State.
In April 2024, a boat carrying a Nollywood film crew capsized in Anambra State, resulting in multiple casualties. Among the victims was Junior Pope Odonwodo, a well-known actor. The bodies of three more crew members were recovered days later, further fueling public outrage.
In June 2024, two brothers drowned in a boat accident in Kippo village, Mokwa LGA, Niger State. The incident occurred during heavy rainfall, and like so many previous accidents, it was attributed to the lack of proper safety protocols.
By the middle of the year, the death toll from boat mishaps had surpassed 300. In July, two people drowned when a boat capsized in Kalgwai village, Jigawa State. Eyewitnesses attributed the accident to overloading, a common cause of boat mishaps in Nigeria.
The most recent incident in September 2024 occurred in Zamfara State, where over 40 farmers drowned in Gummi LGA after their boat capsized in the Bakin Kasuwa River. The accident brought the total death toll since September 2023 to over 320.
Reacting to the numerous boat accidents on our waters, a frequent boat user at the Liverpool Jetty in Apapa, Lagos who simply identified himself as Senagbon Godfrey said, “It’s unacceptable that we keep losing lives like this. It’s as if NIWA does not exist.”
Another boat user at the Marina Jetty in Apapa; Durosinmi Bolanle said: “I am not too sure we have an agency called NIWA. Is there a boss there; it’s either he is on the sleep on the wheel, those of us who still ply the waterways do that with all hope on God, it is a bit safer here in Lagos, but it’s not the same in other states. We need round pegs in round holes”, she stated.
Another boat user in Lagos, Adebayo Mustapha, expressed his anger: “Lives are being lost every week, yet we’ve seen no real action from NIWA. How many more people have to die before something is done? he questioned.
Stakeholders have also blamed Oyebamiji’s tenure for a rise in kidnappings on Nigeria’s waterways. They claim that the lack of effective management and safety enforcement under his leadership has contributed to increased criminal activity.
In a chat with our correspondent, Duru Felix a security expert lamented that, in one recent incident, no fewer than 10 people were kidnapped in the Bonny River waters about two weeks ago. He said these abductions have further amplified concerns over NIWA’s ability to ensure the safety of passengers and goods on the nation’s waterways, as criminal elements continue to exploit the weak enforcement of maritime security measures.
“The lack of security on our waters has made it easy for kidnappers to operate. Just two weeks ago over 10 people were taken in the Bonny River, and nothing has changed. NIWA is not doing enough to protect its passengers and it feels like they are on their own out there, you don’t say, oh it is the work of the Navy to protect, what collaboration is there between the two agencies.
On his part, Capt. Tajudeen Alao, a maritime expert and President of Nigeria Association of Masters Mariners (NAMM) shared his perspective on the issue.
He acknowledged that NIWA is tasked with managing navigable rivers in no fewer than 28 states, which places enormous responsibilities on its leadership. He said “marine transportation is different from land transportation, and the geographical coverage is wider”.
“Many communities are located in remote areas, and reaching them is often challenging, but this doesn’t excuse the high number of deaths we’ve seen.”
Alao pointed out that NIWA has fared well in some areas, but emphasized that there is significant room for improvement. He suggested that NIWA could enhance its operations through regular safety awareness campaigns and closer collaboration with local governments, community leaders, and safety volunteers at loading bays.
“The agency needs to enforce routine checks for valid certifications of boat drivers and their medical fitness. Additionally, it must support naval architects in designing safer boats to replace the primitive wooden boats that are still widely in use,” he added.
According to Alao, NIWA should also increase the frequency of boat surveys, certifications, and routine compliance inspections on the water. “This is not just a one-man job. NIWA needs to improve its partnerships and collaborations, if it is to tackle the issue of safety on our waterways effectively.”
