Borno records 34 deaths in three boat accidents

More facts have emerged concerning the boat mishap that claimed the lives of four passengers during the recent flooding that submerged Maiduguri and its environs.

Arewa PUNCH had reported the incident following the wave of floods that occurred in the state, especially Maiduguri, the state capital, on September 10, 2024, leading to the fatal accident that claimed the lives of four people among the others on board.

The Borno State Police Command had confirmed the deaths of the victims after the boat capsized in the Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno State.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Daso, said the accident occurred on September 23 at about 3:30 pm. in the Bakassi community between Mafa and Dikwa along Maiduguri Road in Borno State

According to him,  “The names of the deceased victims were: Ya Mallum Shettima, an adult female from Marte LGA; Maimuna Akura, 10 years old; Umira Alhaji Bulama, six years old; and Yagana Bulama Kawu, five months old.

An investigation carried out by Arewa PUNCH has revealed that in six years, Borno State has witnessed three  boat mishaps, which drowned a total of 34 people on board, out of which 18 lives were lost.

The incidents that occurred across different local government areas of the states between 2018 and 2024 were attributed to excessive flooding and thunderstorms.

In September 2018, a boat capsised in the Zabarmari area in Jere Local Government with nine people on board.

Eyewitnesses claimed that local divers recovered six bodies involved in the boat accident while three were saved.

More reports have it that the incident occurred on Friday afternoon during a boat journey from Zabarmari to Dusuman settlement.

Bulama Maidamma, the ward Head of Zabarmari at the time, who confirmed the incident, said that two females and four males died while three among the passengers were rescued.

In his words, “the two females boarded the boat from Budum area. Some of them were heading to Dusuman for the Jummat prayers, while others went to attend the funeral service of a relative.”

However, he attributed the incident to the heavy wind with sandstorm, which lasted for about 30 minutes on the Friday.

“The boat capsized at the deeper point of the river. Most of them drowned because they could not swim and were not wearing life jackets

Also, in August 2021, eight people died after a passenger boat capsized with about 21 passengers on board in the Shani Local Government Area of Borno State.

It was gathered that the incident occurred around 7:00 pm when the passengers were coming from a market in a nearby Buma Village.

A member of the state House of Assembly, Ibrahim Musa, who was representing Shani Constituency at the time, said  about six bodies were found.