Two dead, 17 missing as passenger boat capsizes in Lagos Lagoon

Abiola Seun

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has blamed the boat mishap at Ipakan boat jetty in Egbin, Ikorodu in Lagos State for refusal of the victims to wear life jackets.

Speaking to journalists, the Lagos General Manager of NIWA, Muazu Sambo explained that preliminary investigations revealed that the passengers were not wearing life-jackets as at the time of the boat mishap.

Recall that two people were recovered dead while 17 people were left missing and three people rescued alive.

According to findings, the accident occurred at Ipakan boat jetty on Saturday 29th of June, 2019 due to overloading of the boat and night travelling.

But NIWA area manager said, “I am tired of the behaviours of passengers in most of our jetties. Many deliberately refuse to put on life jackets when given.

“The Ikorodu accident revealed that many didn’t have life jackets on. Aside not wearing life jackets, the boat ride occurred at night despite our ban on night trips for ferry operator.”

Investigations conducted revealed that the boat was en-route Badore in Ajah with 21 passengers on board.

It was gathered that the boat was overturned by the heavy current. Three persons were rescued by the combined efforts of the NIWA, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) and were taken to a nearby hospital.

Unfortunately, the lifeless body of an adult pregnant woman, identified as Aniyikaye Oluwaseunfunmi, 40 years old and unnamed person were found and bagged by the rescue team, while rescue and recovery efforts are still ongoing as at the time of filing in this report.