‘Over 400 Killed in 6 Months’: The Sorry Cases of Boat Mishaps in Nigeria

No fewer than 452 people have died from boat mishaps across various waterways in Nigeria. From July to Dec. 2024 alone, incidents were recorded in Niger, Kwara, Kogi, and Bayelsa States.

Over the years, boat mishaps have occurred with alarming regularity, each accompanied by tragic losses. According to the Marine Crafts Builders Association of Nigeria (MCBAN), Nigeria recorded over 3,000 boat accidents in just a decade.

The country’s waterways are estimated to be about 10,000 km, with over 3,000 km of navigable waterways. These waterways connect the country with five neighbouring states and provide access to 28 of the 36 states in Nigeria.

For many coastal communities surrounded by rivers, creeks, and other water bodies in Nigeria, boats are often the most viable means of transportation. Yet, these journeys are fraught with danger, as seen in the alarming frequency of boat mishaps claiming countless lives yearly.

A breakdown of the data collected between July and December 2024 revealed that most of the boat accidents resulted from inefficiency and the lack of proactive rescue measures to ensure the safety of water transport.

Captain Ahmed Hambali, a maritime expert, confirmed this, noting that common causes of such accidents often include poor operator experience, operational inefficiencies, lack of safety measures — such as life-saving appliances — overloading, inadequate boat maintenance, and weak regulatory oversight. 

“These factors highlight the need for immediate and comprehensive action to restore safety and public confidence in waterways transportation,” he said.

The recurring issue of boat mishaps raises concern about the inefficiency of the measures taken by the National Inland Waterways Authority [NIWA]. To curb the menace of boat accidents in the country, NIWA’s waterways regulation stipulates a seven-year imprisonment for violators, but the problem persists.

Regional breakdown

When the Nigerian flag stood high for the independence celebration, tragedy knocked on the country’s door in the north-central region. A boat conveying over 300 passengers from the Mundi community in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State capsized, and about 150 of them died. 

The victims were returning from an annual religious celebration. State authorities confirmed that local divers were swift to rescue 150 out of the 300 passengers alive. 

Days later, a boat carrying over 200 passengers also drowned in the Gwajibo Mudi community in Kaima LGA of Kwara, leaving at least 169 passengers dead. Only 31 people were reportedly rescued when the boat struck a tree submerged by the rising water levels. Niger and Kwara States have been the most affected in Nigeria.

Another boat accident that occurred in Nov. 2024 resulted in the deaths of 22 commuters, mostly farmers and traders, who were sailing from Kogi State to Katcha weekly market in the Agaie area of Niger State.

In Benue State, about 20 people were killed in a boat accident that occurred in Agatu LGA when a boat conveying women and children capsized. Authorities confirmed that 76 passengers were onboard when the incident occurred.

A tragic boat accident in Lafia East LGA of Nasarawa State resulted in the deaths of four persons. The victims –  a man and three women– were farmers travelling to the Ashange market from Alogami village when the overloaded boat sank with 25 passengers, four motorcycles, and bags of melon seeds.

Findings revealed that a lack of an efficient road network to connect commuters to these markets has compelled farmers and traders to adopt boats as a viable means of transportation.

The Northwest region recorded the second-highest fatalities. Data compiled by HumAngle revealed that Jigawa, Zamfara, and Sokoto States recorded 52 fatalities and 18 missing victims.

On July 7, two people died, and two others were reported missing in a boat accident in the Kwalgi village situated in the Auyo area of  Jigawa State. The state revealed that the boat was travelling to Hadin village from Kwalgi when it drowned with 20 passengers onboard after a powerful wave hit the overloaded boat.

Another boat mishap at the Nahuce area in Taura LGA in Jigawa claimed five lives, leaving 15 others unaccounted for. Authorities confirmed that the boat was conveying 20 passengers crossing over the Gamoda River when it capsized.

An overloaded boat conveying over 50 passengers capsized in the Gummi LGA of Zamfara State, leaving 41 persons dead. Only 12 people were rescued alive.

In the Dundaye community in the Wamako area of Sokoto State, four people died when a boat conveying 24 passengers capsized. Nineteen of the passengers were rescued, but one of them was declared missing.

In the South-south, Bayelsa State recorded the highest number of fatalities with 21 deaths, followed by five deaths recorded in Delta. No fewer than 20 passengers were killed in a boat accident along the Ezetu I community in the southern Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa. 

Reports indicated that the boat, conveying mostly women, had a faulty engine that exploded on its way to Swali in Yenagoa, which led to the deaths of passengers. A boat accident in the Okibie community of the Southern Ijaw in Bayelsa also resulted in the deaths of an individual when a 15-seater speedboat capsized.

Five people were killed in a boat mishap along Bennett Island in the Warri-South LGA of Delta State. The accident left six passengers injured, with one missing and 19 rescued. The recurrence of boat accidents prompted the Bayelsa State government to implement new safety measures, including the compulsory use of life jackets by passengers, among others, to curb the menace.

In the Northeast, however, four lives were lost after a boat mishap occurred in the Mayo Ranemo area in Taraba. The victims, over 30 of them, were in transit to Balengo town in Karin-Lamido when the engine boat capsized in the Benue River, leading to four fatalities.

As for the southwest, a boat collision in Lagos State claimed the lives of five passengers sailing from Ebutte Ero to Badagry when an ill-fated wooden boat collided with a fibre boat with 10 and 15 passengers onboard, respectively.

Ahmad Hambali, a maritime expert, said the frequent boat accidents occurring in the Nigerian waterways, especially in Northern Nigeria, are deeply concerning. 

“Although I have not come across any investigation reports to determine the root causes of these incidents, it is important to note that boats, historically, have been regarded as a safe mode of transportation.”

“It is therefore alarming to witness the increasing frequency of these tragic incidents, which continue to claim so many lives. This calls for urgent intervention by the government to address this issue,” he said.

Hambali noted that the services of industry experts must be employed to conduct thorough investigations into these accidents, identify their root causes and implement effective preventive measures, or else the menace will persist.

“By addressing these issues systematically, lives can be saved, and waterways transportation can once again fulfil its vital role in the region’s economic and social life,” he added.

In October last year, while commiserating with the victims of the tragic boat mishap on Independence Day, President Bola Tinubu directed NIWA to investigate the spate of boat mishaps in the country and devise modalities to curtail the trend.

The president also urged them to expand their surveillance of inland waters to ensure safety and prosecute boat owners who violate the ban on night sailing.   

However, HumAngle reached out to Bola Oyebamiji, the Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), to understand the latest modalities on the ground aimed at safeguarding the lives of Nigerians commuting via waterways, as per President Tinubu’s directive, but the message was met with silence.

Several calls made to him were unsuccessful because his number was unreachable.