Dare Babalola
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condoled with the families of victims of a boat accident in Gausawa community, Niger State, that claimed 29 lives.
The tragic incident occurred when a boat carrying about 90 passengers, including women and children, collided with a tree stump, with overloading cited as a possible cause of the mishap.
In a statement signed personally and posted on his X, Atiku, on Thursday, described the incident as a “painful reminder” of the need to strengthen safety measures in Nigeria’s waterways. He emphasised the importance of implementing safety protocols to prevent such tragedies in the future.
“The cost of safety is far cheaper than the cost of lives cut short in preventable tragedies,” Atiku said. “Overloading must be discouraged, capacities strictly adhered to, and the provision of life jackets made compulsory.”
Atiku urged authorities to prioritise investment in water transportation safety infrastructure, monitoring, and public awareness to prevent such heartbreaking occurrences from becoming a recurring phenomenon.
“This incident must serve as a wake-up call to authorities to prioritize investment in water transportation safety infrastructure, monitoring, and public awareness so that such heartbreaking occurrences become a thing of the past,” he said.
The former Vice President prayed for the eternal rest of the victims and comfort for the bereaved families. “My heartfelt condolences go to the families of the victims, the Gausawa community, and the government and people of Niger State. May the Almighty grant comfort to the bereaved and eternal rest to those who lost their lives.”
