Goronyo Boat Tragedy: Shagari Mourns Victims, Demands Urgent Safety Measures on Nigeria’s Inland Waterways
Goronyo Boat Tragedy: Shagari Mourns Victims, Demands Urgent Safety Measures on Nigeria’s Inland Waterways
From Bashir Rabe Mani in Sokoto
The Chairman, Governing Board of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Alhaji Mukhtar Shehu Shagari, has expressed deep sorrow and profound grief over the tragic boat mishap in Gorau Village, Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State, which reportedly claimed several lives.
Shagari described the incident as a painful and devastating tragedy, saying the loss of innocent lives in such circumstances was deeply distressing to the Sokoto State Government, the people of Goronyo Local Government Area and, particularly, the bereaved families and the entire Gorau community.
In a condolence statement signed and made available to journalists in Sokoto by his Media Aide, Musa Ubandawaki, the NIWA Board Chairman on behalf of himself, the management and entire staff of the Authority commiserate with the Sokoto State Government, the Goronyo Local Government Council, traditional institutions, community leaders and families of the victims, urging them to take solace in the will of Almighty Allah.
He called on riverine communities across the country to exercise extreme caution while using waterways, particularly by avoiding overloading of boats, early-morning journeys when river tides are high, and night time boat operations where poor visibility could expose passengers to grave danger.
According to him, the recurring loss of lives through avoidable boat mishaps must serve as a wake up call to all stakeholders to redouble efforts towards preventing further tragedies on the nation’s inland waterways.
Shagari said NIWA was intensifying its efforts to improve safety standards across the country’s waterways, stressing that the Authority was working towards phasing out wooden boats from the inland waterways as part of broader measures to strengthen navigation safety and protect the lives of passengers and boat operators.
He further urged state governments to establish stronger collaboration with NIWA offices within their respective states, noting that effective cooperation, information sharing and coordinated enforcement would significantly enhance safety and reduce accidents on the waterways.
The NIWA Board Chairman also called on citizens, boat operators and riverine communities to support the Federal Government’s efforts to make Nigeria’s inland waterways safer, stressing that government initiatives could only succeed when citizens and operators complied with established safety regulations.
He said the protection of lives on the nation’s waterways must remain a collective responsibility, urging boat operators to place human lives above profit and refrain from practices capable of putting passengers at unnecessary risk.
Shagari prayed Almighty Allah to forgive the shortcomings of the deceased, grant their souls eternal rest, and give their families, relatives, friends and the people of Gorau Village the strength and fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
He equally prayed for the speedy recovery of those who may have sustained injuries in the unfortunate incident and urged all stakeholders involved in the search and rescue operations to sustain their efforts until every possible victim is accounted for.
