The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau on Thursday disclosed that it has begun an investigation into the boat mishap that occurred at Kpada community in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State following directives from President Bola Tinubu.
PUNCH Metro had reported that the boat mishap which occurred on Monday night 12 June 2023 was said to have conveyed not less than 250 passengers from a village called Egboti in Niger State.
However, the Bureau said the information received reveals that 106 fatalities have been recorded, while 144 passengers were rescued, adding that it would be carrying out a lot of facts findings through crew and passenger interviews, working with relevant authorities to be able to determine the probable cause(s) of this accident to ensure diligent investigation.
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This was disclosed at a press conference in Abuja by the Director General of NSIB, Akin Olateru.
Olateru further said due to the difficulty in accessing the scene of the accident, the Inspector General of Police approved the use of a Police helicopter to access the location.
Olateru said: “The access point is a challenge to us and accessing the scene by road would take not less than 12 hours. We approached the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to get a helicopter which would aid our investigators to access the location easily and the IG approved the use of the helicopter.
“Currently, our investigators are on their way to the location but from the information we gathered, not less than 250 passengers were conveyed on a local boat and 106 fatalities were recorded while 144 passengers have rescued.
“Our investigation is not aimed at apportioning blame but we will work with relevant agencies including National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to know the cause of the accident.”
The NSIB boss further urged local, state, and federal agencies and other relevant stakeholders to maintain effective cooperation and collaboration so as to ensure transportation safety.
The NSIB also said it is soliciting information from the public in the form of pictures, videos or recording evidence to help assist in conducting a comprehensive investigation.
The Bureau added that it can be reached through info@aib.gov.ng and NSIB on its social media platforms and its emergency line at +234-807-709-0909.
(Punch)
