NIWA attributes human error to Kebbi boat mishap, mourns victims

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Monday boat mishap involving 17 passengers from Kasabo village of Agwara Local Government Area of Niger state heading to Yauri market in Kebbi State has been described as an avoidable human error.

A release from the management of the National Inland Waterways Authority(NIWA) commiserating with the government and people of Kebbi state over the boat mishap regretted that had the sailor adhered to safety rules handed down by NIWA on weather conditions, as revealed by preliminary investigation the ugly situation would have been averted.

NIWA however assured that despite these incessant disobedience and recklessness, the authority will continue its training and sensitization campaign to prevent the occurrence of such incident in the future.

The release partly read:
“It is with deep sorrow and heavy heart, that the Management of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) commiserates with the Government and people of Kebbi state over the recent boat mishap involving 17 passengers from Kasabo village in Agwara Local Government of Niger state heading to Yauri market in Kebbi State.

“Preliminary investigation from our area office in Yauri, Kebbi state revealed that, the wooden boat capsized as a result of heavy windstorm that accompanied the bad weather caused the incident.
“The sad and avoidable incident occurred on Monday 2nd October, 2023 due to human error where the sailor ignored the weather condition that was turbulent.
“Whereas the sailor was supposed to berth at the nearest bank of the river which is NIWA safety guidelines for such weather condition, he decided to continue the journey thus making the passengers to panic and some of them jumped into the water without wearing life jackets and later the boat capsized.

“NIWA rescue team in Yauri Area Office where the incident happened, were involved in the rescue operation with other agencies. Nine (9 ) persons were rescued alive and Eight (8) dead bodies were retrieved.

“Despite several efforts in sensitization campaign on safety and training of Boat operators in Yauri in particular and other parts of the country, we still continue to record such boat mishaps due to negligence of the boat operators to NIWA safety guidelines. The Authority will continue its training and sensitization campaign to prevent the occurrence of such incident in the future,” NIWA said.

The agency however prayed for the repose of the soul of the victims and to God almighty to grant the families of the victims the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.