Boat accident: AbdulRazaq supports victims’ families with N100m

The Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has announced N100m support for the families of the victims of the recent boat mishap which claimed the lives of no fewer than 200 indigenes of Gbajigbo village in the Kaiama Local Government Area of the state.

The governor announced the support on Thursday during a visit to the Emir of Kaiama, Alhaji Omar Mu’azu (Kiyaru IV).

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, he noted that AbdulRazaq has again commiserated with the emir and the people of Kaiama, even as he reminded that the incident underscored the reason for more institutional checks on water travel.

Ajakaye stated that the governor also conveyed the condolences of President Bola Tinubu to the monarch and the people of Kaiama, explaining that a delegation of the President could not proceed to Kwara on Thursday because of the bad weather that prevented them from flying.

“We have come to again register our condolences over the sad incident. May Allaah forgive our compatriots who died in the mishap,” AbdulRazaq told the Emir.

“The government is supporting the people affected with the sums of N100m. We feel very sad. It is also important that no one who is embarking or disembarking from a boat in Kwara is allowed to do so without a life jacket. Anyone who does so will have to face penalties. We also call on the National Inland Waterways Authority to, as a matter of oversight, ensure that people who board boats must use life jackets,” he added.

The emir commended the governor for his visit and for earlier sending a powerful delegation led by the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Yakubu Salihu-Danladi to the affected Gbajigbo community.

The traditional ruler maintained that the accident was an act of God, as no soul can die without His knowledge. People need to respect safety rules such as using life jackets and avoiding overloading and night journey.

He thanked the governor for the donation and his constant support for the people, including efforts to hire teachers from the grassroots.

Arewa PUNCH had penultimate Thursday morning reported the sad news of the river accident which shook

the people of Kwara State to the bone marrow as they woke up to read of another boat mishap that claimed the lives of no fewer than 200 indigenes of Gbajigbo village in Kaiama LGA

The victims were reportedly travelling on the river for a four-hour journey during the last Maulud Nabiyy celebration with their kith and kin in the Gbajigbo community in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State when the accident occurred around the Mundi River.

The accident was the second ill-fated accident in one year in Kwara State, following an earlier accident at Egbu village in Patigi Local Government Area of the state where not less than 100 lives were lost in the water accident on June 12, 2023.

Sources confirmed to our correspondent that the earlier victims were travelling to attend a marriage ceremony in Egboti village in Niger State in an overloaded boat that hit a tree in the middle of the river.

The Arewa PUNCH sources lamented that the Gbajigbo community water accident was more painful because it occurred on Wednesday,  October 2 last week when the people were still in the euphoria of the 64th Independence Day Anniversary celebration of Nigeria.

The tragedy threw the entire Kwara community into mourning.

Gbajigbo village in the Kaiama LGA of Kwara State is only 250 Kilometers to Ilorin, the state capital by road through which travellers could pass through Igbeti and Kishi in Olorunsogo and Irepo local government areas respectively.

According to Ismail Ibrahim, a community leader in Gbajigbo, the ill-fated boat took off from the community at about 6 pm on October 1 while the accident occurred at about 8.30 pm as the passengers were approaching their destination.

Ismail who said that boat mishaps in the area were a frequent occurrence stated that “this time the number of victims was so large that it affected every family in that community.”

The Arewa PUNCH source acknowledged that “travelling on the river remains the only means of transportation for now because there is no access road that connects the community with our neighbors in Niger State.

“Even the road which links this community with Kishi in Oyo State was created by the smugglers who used to pass through this route when they are bringing vehicles from Benin Republic and Togo.”

Therefore, he appealed to the Federal and Kwara state governments “to construct a road from Ilorin, the Kwara State capital or in the alternative, provide the people with ferry for safer travel on the waters.”

Hon Abdullahi Danbaba, a member, Kwara House of Assembly who represents the area described the boat mishap as unprecedented in the history of river accidents in the area, adding that “the boat capsised close to the destination of the passengers.”

However, the Emir of Kaiama, Alhaji Omar Muazu while also lamenting the loss of lives to the accident urged the people to take solace in God, adding that they should regard it “as an act of God.”

Following the accident, Governor AbdulRazaq immediately raised a powerful delegation led by the Speaker of the State Assembly to visit the area and commiserate with the families of the victims of the boat mishap.

AbdulRazaq in a statement signed by Rafiu Ajakaye, his Chief Press Secretary and which read on parts, stated that “he is shocked and saddened over the tragic boat mishap  involving at least 200 people from Gbajibo Mudi community in Kaiama Local Government Area.”

According to the statement, “The incident occurred in Gearbox village in Niger State, a neighbouring community where the boat was headed for a Maulid Nabbiy celebration.

“The governor expresses deep concern at this devastating incident and sends his heartfelt commiserations to the Emir of Kaiama Alhaji Omar Mu’azu Shehu and the people of Gwajibo on the development.

“The Governor has directed the state emergency management agency to join the humanitarian efforts for the victims, the survivors, and their families.

“A high-powered delegation of the state government led by Speaker of the House of Assembly Rt. Hon.Yakubu Danladi-Salihu is also visiting Gwajibo today to commiserate with the families of the victims,” the statement added.

Conveying the heartfelt sympathies of the government at the palace of the Emir of Kaiama, which was his first port of call before proceeding to Gbajigbo, Rt. Hon.  Danladi-Salihu,

the Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, who led the powerful government delegation to condole the people of Gbajigbo village over the unfortunate boat mishap that claimed many lives,

explained that the incident has left AbdulRazaq saddened.

“We are here on behalf of the governor to register his heartfelt sadness over the unfortunate incident. As a compassionate leader, the governor decided to send this powerful delegation to Kaiama to commiserate with the Emir, the victims, and the people of Gbajigbo as well as to obtain first-hand information about the boat mishap,” the Speaker stated.

“It is important to remind our people, especially the sea travellers that wearing life jackets and adherence to other safety protocols are essential in preventing this kind of sad incident, I, therefore implore the sea travellers in Gbajigbo and across the state in general to be making use of life jackets already provided by the government

“On behalf of the Governor and government of Kwara State, our hearts go out to the Emir of Kaiama, victims and families of the deceased as well as the entire community, we pray to Almighty Allah to forgive the departed, grant them Aljanat Fridaos and give us all the strength needed in this trying time and beyond”

The Emir of Kaiama, Alhaji Muazu Shehu Omar Bagidi Kiyaru IV Emir of Kaiama while responding to the message of the state delegation acknowledged the proactiveness of Governor AbdulRazaq right from the moment he heard of the incident and also appreciated the delegation even as he prayed for their safe travels in and out of Kaiama.

The Speaker, while in Gbajigbo paid homage to the village head, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman, and interacted with the stakeholders in the community where they commended Governor AbdulRazaq for his prompt response to the mishap and his fatherly disposition to the people of the community. They prayed for the governor and the government of Kwara State.

At the interactive session with the stakeholders, the Speaker announced the cash donation of N2m to offset the medical bills of the survivors of the mishap and the families of the deceased, assuring that the government through the State Emergency Management Agency would also come to their aid. He also promised that the basic health center and primary school in the community would soon be refurbished to enhance their effectiveness.

Arewa PUNCH further reports that on the state delegation’s condolence visit to Gbajigbo were: Hon. Saidu Baba –  Bani/Adena/Gwanabe /Gweria; Hon. Abdullah Halidu Danbaba – Kaiama/Kemanji/Wajibe; Hon. Muhamma Baba Salihu –  Òkúta/Yashikira; Hon. Abdullah Bata, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; Hon. Abdullah Danladi, the Executive Chairman, Kaiama Local Government; Hon. Isa Jibril, the Executive Chairman, Baruten Local Government; Alhaji Umar Danladi Shero, Chairman, Local Government Service Commission; Hon. Sadiq Buhari, Adviser to the Governor on Social Investment among others.