A tragic boat accident on the River Niger in Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State has claimed at least 14 lives, left 24 people rescued, and 42 others missing, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). The incident occurred Tuesday evening when a vessel said to be carrying about 80 passengers capsized while travelling from Onugwa community to Olushi village in Ibaji.
NEMA stated that the mishap happened around 5:40 p.m. On receiving the report, the agency activated its Abuja Operations Office and deployed its rescue team to the scene to coordinate with state and local emergency responders. Search and rescue operations, involving NEMA, the Kogi State Emergency Management Agency, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the National Inland Waterways Authority, the Fire Service, local divers and community volunteers, remain ongoing.
Local authorities and eyewitnesses report that many of the victims were traders heading to market. The Kogi State Government has confirmed the rising death toll. According to a statement from the Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, the number of fatalities has reached 26 in some reports, though NEMA’s figures remain at 14 confirmed dead. The state government assured that relief measures and coordination with federal agencies will intensify in support of victims’ families.
President Bola Tinubu expressed deep sympathy for those affected, describing the incident as “shocking and unfortunate.” In a statement, he urged that operators of water transportation prioritize safety, enforcement of regulations, and use of life jackets. The President commended first responders and urged federal, state and local agencies to deepen rescue operations.
Investigations are underway into the cause of the accident. Preliminary assessments point to factors commonly seen in inland water tragedies in Nigeria: overloading, poor vessel maintenance, absence or insufficiency of safety equipment, and disregard for regulations, especially on waterways where enforcement is lax. Riverine communities have long warned about the dangers of overcrowded boats operating at twilight or in adverse weather without due safety measures. Analysts often cite structural weaknesses in oversight, registration of vessels, and a lack of routine inspections as contributors to repeated disasters.
The accident underscores how perilous inland water transportation remains in many parts of Nigeria. In the days ahead, the number of missing persons may change. Rescue teams are using divers and surface search to recover bodies and survivors from the river. Authorities will also need to reconcile divergent counts and provide clear, verifiable updates to the public.
Beyond the immediate tragedy, the disaster probes at broader systemic issues. Many river communities depend on boats as primary transport routes, given poor road access. But weak regulatory systems, lack of enforcement, low safety compliance, and economic pressures push operators to cut corners. The government’s ability to respond quickly and prevent recurrence will be judged at the community level.
For now, grief weighs heavily on families in Ibaji. Officials say victims’ relatives should expect support from state and federal authorities. But trust will depend on transparency, accountability, speed of recovery and how the missing are accounted for. In Nigeria, each boat disaster is a reminder of a promise unkept—that water travel must not remain a gamble with lives.
Samuel Aina