Niger boat mishap: Survivors recount experience

Umar Ibrahim is among the few passengers who braced up to save the lives of 41 other victims, mostly women, children and the weak who were exhausted or could not swim, in the recent boat mishap which  killed 26 women and two men in the  River Niger.The ill-fated boat was conveying passengers to Ulakami from […]

Umar Ibrahim is among the few passengers who braced up to save the lives of 41 other victims, mostly women, children and the weak who were exhausted or could not swim, in the recent boat mishap which  killed 26 women and two men in the  River Niger.
The ill-fated boat was conveying passengers to Ulakami from Kokoli market in Borgu local government of Niger State, barely a week after a similar accident killed 26 people in Malale.
Ibrahim, was himself initially rescued by captains of nearby boats in the middle of the 10 kilometre   journey ,shortly after the sudden split of the boat which he said did not hit any rock or logs before the accident.
He said all passengers were thrown into the water, while some hung on to the floating boat wreckage and loads before help finally  came to them.
He said: “I was able to rescue about 10 victims, all of whom were women and children, while other courageous men among us with few captains of the nearby boats, who assisted in rescuing those that cannot swim.
“Our brave action saved the lives of over 30 passengers, otherwise the casualty rate would have been higher.”
Ibrahim, while narrating his ordeal, said there was confusion,  and people started screaming and falling into the water,  and sinking very fast   just as  stones would.
“ Mud  and logs of trees beneath  the water and the strong waves, trapped most of those who died, and made it difficult for them to be rescued.
“Passengers would have been saved  if they had life jackets. What made  things worse is the lack of life guards and rescue operation gears,” he said.
The Sarkin Ruwan Gungun Hoke (chief of Gungun Hoke River area), Alhaji Garba Nda told Daily Trust that the tragedy struck around 5:30pm ,while the boat was conveying passengers from the  Thursday market  at  Kokoli.
He advised that boat captains should throw floating luggage to victims to float on and keep heads above water before the rescue  team  arrives , when such accidents  happen.
“The River bank was about 20 minutes away. They took off but were lucky to have the intervention of other boat captains around, who rescued the rest of the passengers into their boats and ferried them to safety,” he said.
Nda said most of the victims are from Ujiji, Tungan Liman, Kanshi  Bawa, Dunga Sarkawa, all remote settlements around Ulakami village.
The captain of the ill-fated boat, Yakubu Ulakami insisted that he is clueless as to what caused the accident.
Yakubu said of his 17 years experience, he has always checked to make sure that his boat is in good condition before starting off every day.
“This is just an accident that is destined to happen and I really felt bad to be the captain of the boat which split and led to the deaths of  those innocent souls. I can still remember some of those regular passengers that we always crack jokes with ,anytime we are on board.Its really very sad and my heart goes to their family,” he said in a sober tune.
 Villagers who spoke to our reporter blamed the accidents on  the gods. “The god is angry with the people for not observing the annual sacrifice,” Jaddi Kambari said.While some were of the opinion that the boat was overloaded and could not withstand the strong winds  and strong  waves due to  the heavy rainfall.
Garba Dangi, another survivor, however blamed the mishap on high fuel consumption, and  the high cost of maintenance which usually force the captains to overload the boats.
“We should blame the  government for not providing sufficient boats and the  high cost of fuel which makes the boat owners to overload.
“The banning of old boats is not the solution. Government should enforce the use of life jackets and regulate  the number of passengers, according to the specified capacity of the boat,” he said.
Mallan Musa Garba, a boat mechanic at Zamare,  said this kind of disaster last happened four years ago, and insisted it is an act of God, and  that there is nothing anybody can do to prevent it.
The Special Adviser to the governor on Disaster and Emergency Management,  Muhammad Saba,while consoling with the people of the community on behalf of the Niger state Government, appealed to them to remain calm as tension was mounting by people who were blaming the boat owners for the deaths.
Normal business activities have  however picked up in the area. Passengers were seen arriving and boarding boats to various destinations in Zamare, Rohiya, Kokoli, Ulakami, Malale and some small villages, as well as at the Yelwa Yauri fish market at the river bank, when our reporter visited  last Sunday.
Meanwhile, Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State has banned the operation of old boats ferrying passengers across the Niger River.
This is following a mishap which claimed 28 lives in Kokoli village near Malale in the Borgu Local Government Area of the state, where a similar fatal accident occurred a week ago.
A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Danladi Ndayebo, made available to Daily Trust said the action is intended to ensure that old and rickety boats do not continue to kill valuable lives in the riverine communities.
The statement said the Ministry of Transportation has been directed to ensure full compliance with all safety standards, including the use of life vests by all passengers.
Aliyu assured the people of the state, especially those involved with water transportation, that  every possible effort would be made to ensure that the right lessons are learnt from the tragic loss of valuable lives, and other measures would be put in place to ensure safe water transportation in the state.