At least 76 people were killed due to a boating mishap in the Anambra, the southern state of Nigeria. President Buhari acknowledged the accident through a statement.
The incident happened on Friday, October 7, 2022. The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, has informed the media that rescue agencies had responded to the incident and the death toll of the tragedy.
The accident happened on a passenger boat. The boat was carrying 85 passengers when it capsized in Anambra’s Ogbaru Area. Recently, the area has seen an increased number of floods.
Following the tragic incident, the National Inland Waterways Authority of Nigeria and the NEMA started several rescue and recovery missions in Anambra.
The authorities have ordered an investigation of the incident. The Emergency Management authorities sought to determine if there were any other causes of the incident. The most apparent reason turns out to be floods.
Thickman Tanimu, an official of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), informed the media regarding this development.
According to reports, those aboard the vessel headed to the Nkwo market in Ogbakuba before it capsized. According to some officials, the boat suffered an engine failure and hit a bridge before toppling. This caused more than 76 occupants to drown
Following this, President Buhari has also ordered a careful review of the safety measures implemented across the nation’s water transport system. The president urged the NEMA to do everything in its power to account for those who are missing following the tragic accident.
The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, urged the emergency services of Nigeria to look into the incident, and make necessary changes, so that these incidents may not happen again. He urged the agencies “to check the safety protocols on these transport ferries to ensure such incidents are avoided”.
The victims of the tragedy were mostly women and children. They were trying to reach safety as their area was overwhelmed by floodwater.
President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari expressed condolences to the victims’ families in the “tragic” accident.
