27 feared dead in Kwara boat accident

Heartbreak has once again gripped the Gbajibo community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, as at least 27 people have been confirmed dead following a tragic boat accident.

The victims were reportedly returning from a market in neighbouring Niger State when the overloaded boat capsized. The fatal incident occurred three nights ago and has plunged the quiet riverside community into mourning.

This tragedy comes barely seven months after a similar boat mishap in the same region claimed over 100 lives, raising fresh concerns over safety measures and emergency preparedness for water transport in the area.

A survivor who witnessed the event blamed the disaster on overcrowding.“The boat capsized due to overloading,” the eyewitness stated, adding that an incoming storm brought strong winds that worsened the situation. Although he could not confirm the total number of passengers aboard, the eyewitness suggested the vessel was operating far beyond safe capacity.

Responding to the incident, Chairman of Kaiama Local Government, Abdullah Danladi, visited the bereaved families and condemned the frequency of such tragedies.“The government would no longer tolerate the almost yearly recurrence of such tragedies,” he said.

Danladi announced the formation of a committee to enforce safety protocols, including mandatory life jackets and a ban on night travel.

Traditional ruler, Muazu Umar, the Emir of Kaiama, pledged stronger efforts to promote water travel safety awareness in the community.“Awareness campaigns would be intensified to ensure that passengers and boat operators comply with water travel safety standards,” he said.

In a similar incident last October, a wooden boat carrying over 300 passengers—far above its 100-person capacity—capsized in the same Gbajibo area, resulting in the deaths of at least 60 people, mostly women and children.

Following that tragedy, President Bola Tinubu extended condolences to the victims’ families and instructed the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to investigate and address the causes of repeated boat accidents nationwide.