- Safiu Kehinde
No fewer than 20 people have confirmed dead in a tragic boat accident in Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The incident reportedly occurred on Tuesday around 4:30pm on the River Niger with many victims found lying lifeless beneath the waters, while several others still remain missing.
As quoted by the Vanguard, an eyewitness, James Otoga, who recounted the horror of the accident, disclosed that fully loaded boat had departed Onugwa community in Ibaji en route to Ilushi market in Edo state for October 1st celebration before it capsized midway.
“The boat was fully loaded with our people going to market for the first of October celebration. Only five survivors have surfaced yet and 20 bodies have been recovered so far and more of our people are lying lifeless beneath the River Niger,” Otoga lamented.
He added that the tragedy also claimed the lives of mourners who had attended a burial in Onugwa and were returning to Ilushi.
“Even those who came for a burial in Onugwa and were returning back to Ilushi were also missing.
“We are yet to confirm the number of people onboard and those who survived,” he stated.
Speaking in a telephone conversation with journalists, the Chairman of the Ibaji Local Government Area, Ugeh Emmanuel, described the disaster as the most devastating in the council’s history.
He however maintained that the true scale of casualties remained uncertain.
“As I am speaking with you now, nobody can authoritatively say this is the actual number of casualties. And again we cannot even ascertain the number of people onboard right from their departure time.
“This is a very serious accident; the boat had not even reached Ilushi when the mishap occurred around 4:30pm.
“Most of the victims were moving to Ilushi for the cerebration of first October which has been a tradition in the community before they met their untimely death,” he said.