Black Saturday in Kwara: 9 confirmed dead, 4 nursing mothers, babies missing in Lafiagi boat mishap

…Saraki, Ahmed commiserate with Emir, family of victims

By Kayode Adeoti

A pall of gloom was cast on Lafiagi, a town in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State on Saturday, following a boat mishap that claimed no fewer than nine lives.

Several households in the town were thrown into mourning as a result of the unfortunate incident.

Also, the whereabout of about four nursing mothers and their babies who were aboard the ill-fated boat on the fateful day, remained unknown as at the time of filling this report.

Umar Jubril, a resident of the community who spoke to our reporter last night, confirmed that bodies of nine persons had been recovered while frantic search has continued towards recovery of other bodies.

Giving an account of how the tragic incident, Umar explained that the victims were on their way to a wedding ceremony in a community at the neighbouring Niger State on Saturday when the boat capsized and the occupants numbering over 20 drowned.

“As at the time the victims got to the river bank, there were no enough boats to convey them to the ceremony, so they decided to charter the only one that was left.

“Ordinary, that boat cannot convey more than 15 people but due to the fact that it was hired, they loaded themselves on it with over 20 passengers. Unfortunately, the boat driver could not condemn the act, probably for the love of money,” Umar divulged.

Speaking further, he said the driver does not really know the terrain well as he failed to slow down at certain areas where river waves were always intense.

“The boat could speed because it is owned by government but there is a particular point in which anyone driving the boat must slow down. He failed to exercise caution and that was where the boat capsized,” he lamented.

On the numbers of bodies recovered so far, he said, “We’ve only recovered nine bodies and about four nursing mothers and their babies are still missing. The last man, who floated at the river bank, but after giving us his identity and we tried to revive him, he also gave up the ghost.”

The Public Relations Officer of the Kwara Police Command, Ajayi Okasanmi, while confirming the incident to newsmen maintained that the officers of the force and other security agencies had joined the local government council in recovering the corpses.

He, however, said that the number of passengers and victims could not yet be ascertained as the recovery exercise was still ongoing.

Meanwhile, the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has commiserated with families of the boat mishap victims.

Saraki in a tweet yesterday, wrote; “Today, my prayers go out to all the families affected by yesterday’s boat mishap at the Chewuru Ferry Port in Lafiagi, Kwara State. As the community pulls together in the wake of this awful tragedy, I pray for the quick recovery of all the survivors.”

Similarly, the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has sympathised with the Emir of Lafiagi, Alhaji Saadu Kawu Haliru over the incident.

The Governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Abdulwahab Oba, described the incident as unfortunate and a great loss to their immediate family, the Emirate and the state at large.

“I deeply sympathise with the Emir, the good people of Lafiagi and the family of the victims”, the governor said.

He urged families of the victims to take solace in the fact that death is an inevitable end of all mortals.

Governor Ahmed prayed God to grant the deceased eternal rest and give their families and the entire Lafiagi Emirate the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.