Bayelsa boat mishap: Diri orders search for victims as corpses float ashore

BAYELSA state governor Duoye Diri has ordered relevant government and security agencies to join the search for corpses still missing after a boat mishap in the Nembe Local Government Area (LGA) on Thursday April 6.

The directive was disclosed in a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS) Amanda Daniel on Saturday April 8.

“Governor Diri has directed the relevant government agencies, including security agencies, to collaborate in the search-and-rescue efforts and ensure the recovery of all missing persons,” the CPS noted.

The statement comes after some bodies were recovered along the waterways where the mishap occurred.

Speaking to The ICIR, Bayelsa Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Asinim Butswat confirmed that some corpses had been recovered, but did not disclose the number.

“I haven’t got the actual figure. This takes some time and we do not want to give information in bits. So by tomorrow, we will know the actual figure,” he said.

Passengers had been travelling from Yenegoa to the Brass Islands, in the boat, which was originally meant to transport cargo, when the accident occurred.

The governor, in his statement, noted that the boat was overloaded, leading to the accident.

“The boat was said to be carrying scores of passengers and goods worth millions of naira from Yenagoa to the Brass island and neighbouring communities when it suddenly went under, reportedly due to overloading,” the statement added.

Earlier, there were no reports of any casualties following the incident.

However, on Saturday, Chairman of the Maritime Workers Union in Bayelsa Ipigansi Ogoniba said at least three corpses had been discovered.

“The local boats are designed for heavy cargo and not for passengers, but people smuggle themselves into these boats and pay very little fares to operators.

“Unfortunately the regulation on the use of safety jackets is weak. The boats are not primarily meant for passengers; there is no manifest to ascertain the exact number of passengers on board,” Ogoniba said.

He said passengers aboard the boat were estimated to be about a hundred.

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Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via vopara@icirnigeria.org or @ije_le on Twitter.