Patigi Boat Mishap: NIWA threatens to prosecute culpable officials

By Seun Ibiyemi

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has threatened to prosecute any official found involved in the Patigi boat mishap where over 100 persons lost their lives in Kwara.

The NIWA Managing Director, Dr George Moghalu, made the threat in a statement issued by the authority’s General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Alhaji Jibrin Darda’u, in Lokoja on Wednesday.

Moghalu, who commiserated with the families of the victims and government and people of the state, described the incident as “very unfortunate” and “worrisome.

“Given the circumstances, we will, in line with extant laws and regulations, investigate this callous incident and prosecute those found culpable.

“Preliminary investigations through the authority’s Area Manager in Minna/Kwara Area Office, revealed that the boat driver and wedding guests were on the ill-fated voyage about 2.30 a.m, which speaks volumes about the disregard for the laws regulating Inland Waterways navigation.

“NIWA as an Authority will not fold its arms and allow reckless boat operators flaunting our safety guidelines and killing innocent commuters.

“The Management of NIWA is deeply saddened by the boat mishap that occurred on June 12, along the Jebba Lake channel in the Lafiagi-Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara in which about 103 passengers are feared to have died.

“We condole with the families of those that lost their loved ones, and are particularly concerned with the huge number of casualties,” he lamented.

According to him, this accident is clearly an unfortunate and avoidable one.

He argued that for a wooden boat to have allegedly been carrying more than 200 passengers at once without using life jackets and sailing in the night was certainly gross-overloading and misconduct.