18
May
May
KWARA BOAT TRAGEDY CLAIMS 37 LIVES, GOVERNMENT URGES SAFETY MEASURES
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CapitalTimesNews / 4 weeks
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- 2 min read
The Kwara State Government has confirmed the deaths of 37 traders who were aboard a boat that capsized on Thursday evening in the Gbajibo River. According to Rafiu Ajakaye, Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Governor, the boat accident occurred while the traders were returning home to Niger State from Gbajigbo Mudi market. “The accident happened on Thursday evening while the traders who came to trade in Gbajigbo Mudi were returning home. It occurred in Niger State, and all the bodies were buried there. That’s why we didn’t release a statement earlier,” Ajakaye said. The victims’ bodies have been laid to rest in Niger State. This incident follows a troubling pattern of tragedies on the Gbajibo River, where over 200 lives were lost in a similar boat accident just seven months ago. Local sources attribute the latest accident to overloading, which is believed to have contributed to the vessel’s capsizing around 6 p.m. on Thursday. Mahmoud Gbajibo, a former chairman of the local government, confirmed that 37 bodies were recovered from the river, while several others were rescued. “Thirty-seven bodies have been recovered so far, and several others were rescued,” he stated. The repeated accidents on Gbajibo River have raised concerns about the lack of effective oversight and safety measures from relevant agencies. In response, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has urged boat operators and passengers to adhere to safety regulations. “He also sends condolences to the government of Niger State on the sad incident,” Ajakaye added. Governor AbdulRazaq described the culture of not using safety gadgets as “painful and unacceptable” and prayed for the repose of the victims’ souls. The government is calling for urgent intervention to prevent future tragedies.