Following a boat accident that occurred at about 8.00pm yesterday night, along Ikorodu Channel of the Lagos State Waterways which claimed five lives, the State Inland Waterways Authority, (LASWA) has again issued warnings to all ferry operators and passengers against violating laid down rule of ‘No Night travelling’ on the waterways.
The avoidable boat mishap occurred after a 20 passengers capacity commercial ferry with 21 passengers on board took off illegally from Ebute-Ero Jetty at about few minutes past 8.00pm heading towards Ikorodu, ran into an unforeseen object on the Waterways causing the boat to capsize. The immediate rescue efforts deployed saved 16 alive, 5 dead with one survivor in critical condition.
The Lagos Sate Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, and the General Manager LASWA, Mr. Damilola Emmanuel who were at the Ikorodu scene of the incident this morning confirmed that 16 passengers have been rescued alive with one person in critical condition and Five (5) fatalities through the efforts of LASWA Search Party, Local Boat Operators search team, the Marine Police and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA).
The State Commissioner for Transportation while commiserating with the Families of the lost passengers of the mishap assured that the violators of the mishap will be prosecuted as the unfortunate incidence is already under investigation.
Oladeinde urge Ferry Operators to desist from breaking the laid down safety guidelines to avoid incidents of this nature, he opined that if the rule of no night travelling on the waterways from 6.00pm had been strictly adhered to by operators, the accident could have been averted.
Also speaking at the scene of the incident, the General Manager LASWA, Mr. Damilola Emmanuel reiterated that henceforth any Operator who violates any of the laid down safety guidelines especially the no night travelling rule, would be arrested by the Marine Police and the boat in use confiscated. He urged passengers also to stop waterways night journeys as any passenger found on board of such boats at night will also be prosecuted in accordance with the relevant laws of the State.
