No fewer than four persons have been reported dead, while 19 others were injured in a boat mishap that occurred in Ondo State recently.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC in the state, according to a report by Roving Reporters, confirmed the ugly incident.
The corps said the accident occurred at different locations in Ilaje and Irele Local Government Areas of the state.
It followed a statement issued by the Corps’ image maker, Mr Olufemi Omole, on Sunday, in Akure, the state capital.
Following the report, the state Commandant of the Corps, Dr Hameed Abodunrin, expressed worry over what he described as the carefree attitude of the waterways travellers towards safety measures, noting that the victims died due to failure to adhere to the use of life jackets.
Abodunrin declared that the command will henceforth, effect arrest of boat or ferry transporters and their passengers who violate safety rules on waterways.
The statement reads in part, “A boat mishap at Ilaje Local Government Area claimed the life of one passenger leaving 15 others wounded as a result of overspeeding and refusal to use life jackets.
“Also, there was an occurrence when a speed boat left Ugbonla for Igbenefa in Ilaje LGA and encountered a collision with a bigger wooden boat from on the high sea in the night, leading to the death of a passenger while four others were terribly injured.”
The Corps’ Commandant in Ondo further disclosed that his men were “deployed in Iyasan in Irele Local Government Area for rescue operations as two victims of boat mishap – Oki Michael and Omogbehin Adebayo’s dead bodies were recovered.”
“It is high time our people placed value on human life; we have warned repeatedly that no transporter or passenger should travel the waterways without putting on their life jackets.
“Henceforth, the command’s Marine Special Force would be on patrol and violators be arrested,” he warned sternly.
