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Boat accidents claim 92 lives in eight months, minister fingers wooden canoe

Published

6 months ago

September 2, 2025

Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola

Boat accidents claim 92 lives in eight months, minister fingers wooden canoe

About 92 passengers reportedly lost their lives in boat accidents across Nigeria between January and August 2025, despite the Federal Government’s efforts to enhance safety on the nation’s waterways. The accidents occurred in several states, including Rivers, Niger, Sokoto, Kwara, and Zamfara.

This came as the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, appealed to states to phase out wooden boats, stressing in a statement on Sunday that incidents of boat mishaps had persisted largely due to the widespread use of these wooden boats.

An analysis by The PUNCH from various media reports and statements from government agencies indicated that in January, a boat capsized near Bonny Island, resulting in three deaths (two adults and a toddler), while there were 19 survivors.

On May 15, on the Niger River border, Gbajibo-Mudi Area of Kwara State, a boat carrying passengers returning from the market capsized during a storm, and 27 passengers were confirmed dead. Also in July, at Shiroro Area in Niger State, a market-bound passenger boat capsized near Gumu village, with at least 13 people feared dead.

On August 17 in Sokoto, Goronyo market, a boat carrying over 50 passengers capsized. Two days later, it was reported that 25 passengers were still missing while 25 had been rescued. Also on August 22, in the Faji community, Sabon Birni LGA of Sokoto State, a canoe with 30 passengers capsized, as six persons were confirmed dead, while three were missing.

Also on August 30, 13 people died and more than 20 were declared missing after a boat carrying fleeing villagers capsized in a river in Zamfara State. However, The Nation Newspapers reported on Monday that the number of people who died at the Zamfara boat accident was 16.

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Over the weekend, the National Inland Waterways Authority confirmed another fatal boat mishap at the Jaranja River in the Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State. NIWA Area Manager in Sokoto, Mr Bala Bello, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Sokoto that two persons died, while nine survivors were rescued.

Bello, who said the incident occurred in the afternoon, attributed it to negligence, canoe overloading, and safety rules violations.

In May, The PUNCH reported that Oyetola flagged off the distribution of 42,000 life jackets to waterway users across 12 selected riverine states. Announcing this in a statement, the ministry explained that the landmark move was aimed at enhancing safety on Nigeria’s inland waterways.

It added that the initiative, which kicked off in Minna, Niger State, intends to curb the alarming rate of boat mishaps and fatalities in the country. Oyetola stressed that each of the beneficiary states would receive 3,500 life jackets in the first phase of the strategic safety intervention by the ministry.

The minister, while commiserating with victims of the recent boat incident in the Jaranja River, appealed to states to phase out wooden boats. The minister, in a statement on Sunday through his media aide, Dr Bolaji Akinola, described the tragedy as deeply painful, even as he extended heartfelt condolences on behalf of the Federal Government to all those affected.

The Osun State former governor reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Government to prioritising waterways safety, while appealing to state governments to urgently complement these efforts by investing in modern, non-wooden boats for commercial operations in their states.

The minister noted that, “despite the ministry’s recent interventions, including the nationwide distribution of 3,500 life jackets to each riverine state, incidents of boat mishaps have persisted largely due to the widespread use of wooden boats. The structural weaknesses of wooden boats make them unsafe for modern commercial operations.”

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He further explained that wooden boats cannot withstand the scale of haulage they are now subjected to, especially under conditions of overloading, thereby making them even more prone to accidents. “The time has come for a decisive break from outdated practices. Wooden boats have served their time, but they cannot be the future of water transport in Nigeria. The tragic mishaps we continue to witness are a direct consequence of the continued reliance on unsafe vessels. We must now chart a safer course for our people,” Oyetola declared.

He highlighted that fibre and aluminium boats, being sturdier, safer, and more durable, represent the global standard for inland and coastal waterway transport. Oyetola called on state governments, particularly those with large riverine populations, to urgently invest in these modern boats, describing such investments as both life-saving and economically strategic.

“Our ministry has mandated the compulsory use of life jackets, and we have supplied them in thousands to riverine states. But life jackets alone cannot guarantee safety without safe boats. I therefore appeal to our state governments to complement the Federal Government’s efforts by deliberately investing in fibre and aluminium boats. This is the seed we must sow today to secure a safer, more prosperous tomorrow,” the minister said.

The Chairman of the United Waterways Passengers Association, Mr Gbenga Oluwadiya, urged the government to enforce the use of life jackets. “The government has tried in the area of giving out life jackets and sensitising people on the wearing. But I think the government needs to do more on the enforcement of the use of life jackets,” he stated.

Earlier, the President of the Barge Operators Association of Nigeria, Mr Olubunmi Olumekun, spoke on the need to differentiate passenger boats from cargo boats to avoid overloading.

“Some boat operators use passenger boats to carry goods. They load people and also have a full load of goods. It is not possible; you have to separate them, let the passenger boat be for passengers, and the one for goods be for goods. You must separate them.

“You must have someone to control them. So take your passenger boat and go to where you want to go, and your goods will get to you; that is what should be happening with boats, just like what we see in the aviation sector,” Olumekun said.

Boat accidents claim 92 lives in eight months, minister fingers wooden canoe

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Appeal Court Upholds Conviction of Ex-Army General, Orders ₦4bn Refund

Published

17 minutes ago

March 9, 2026

Trends Admin

Appeal Court Upholds Conviction of Ex-Army General, Orders ₦4bn Refund

The Court of Appeal of Nigeria has affirmed the conviction and prison sentence handed to former Major General Umar Mohammed over the diversion of billions of naira belonging to Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL), the property and investment arm of the Nigerian Army.

In a judgment delivered by a three-member panel of justices, the appellate court upheld the earlier decision of a Special Court Martial which found the retired officer guilty of stealing and mismanaging funds belonging to the army-owned company during his tenure as its Group Managing Director.

The court also sustained the order directing him to refund more than ₦4 billion traced to the illegal transactions.

According to the Certified True Copy of the judgment, the justices dismissed Mohammed’s appeal challenging both the jurisdiction of the military tribunal and the outcome of the trial. The appellate court held that the court martial acted within the bounds of the law and relied on credible and admissible evidence to reach its verdict.

The panel—comprising Justice Abba Mohammed, Justice Okon Abang, and Justice Eberechi Nyesom‑Wike—ruled that the prosecution had successfully established the charges brought against the former general.

Mohammed was originally arraigned before the military tribunal on October 10, 2023, where he faced multiple counts of stealing, criminal misappropriation and financial misconduct involving funds belonging to the army property firm.

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After the trial, the court martial dismissed him from military service and sentenced him to imprisonment. The tribunal also ordered him to refund $2,099,700 and ₦1.65 billion to the company as restitution for the diverted funds.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, Mohammed approached the appellate court in February 2025 through an appeal marked CA/ABJ/CR/383/2025, asking that the conviction be overturned on the grounds that the evidence used against him was weak and unreliable.

However, the appellate court disagreed.

The justices ruled that the defence presented by the former officer was riddled with contradictions and could not discredit the evidence already accepted by the court martial.

Part of the judgment highlighted inconsistencies in Mohammed’s testimony. During the proceedings, he had claimed that Nigerian Army Properties Limited did not operate berthing services, but the court noted that documentary records previously authored and signed by him indicated that the company was indeed involved in such operations.

The appellate court held that the conflicting statements weakened his credibility and strengthened the prosecution’s case.

Consequently, the court affirmed the conviction and sentence on most of the charges established by the tribunal, setting aside only the counts relating to alleged forgery.

Mohammed’s legal troubles extend beyond the criminal conviction.

In August 2025, the Federal High Court of Nigeria sitting in Lagos, presided over by Justice Dehinde Dipeolu, ordered the final forfeiture of shares worth more than ₦5 billion linked to the former general and businessman Kayode Filani.

The shares—totalling 245,568,137 units—were found to have been purchased with funds suspected to be proceeds of illegal activities during Mohammed’s leadership of the army-owned company.

The forfeiture followed an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which told the court that its investigations had established that the funds used for the investment were unlawfully obtained.

EFCC counsel Hanatu Kofanaisa informed the court that the Special Court Martial had earlier convicted the former general on 14 out of 18 counts relating to stealing and financial misconduct.

She also explained that the commission complied with all legal procedures for final forfeiture, including public notification through newspaper publications. No individual or organisation came forward to challenge the application.

Justice Dipeolu subsequently ruled that the anti-graft agency had proven its case and ordered the shares to be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government, in favour of Nigerian Army Properties Limited.

The forfeiture proceedings were brought under Section 44(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution and Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.

With the latest ruling by the Court of Appeal, Mohammed’s attempt to overturn his conviction has effectively failed, reinforcing the disciplinary action earlier taken by military authorities and marking a major judicial decision in Nigeria’s ongoing fight against corruption within public institutions.

Appeal Court Upholds Conviction of Ex-Army General, Orders ₦4bn Refund

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JUST IN: Fire Guts Section of Federal Secretariat in Abuja

Published

33 minutes ago

March 9, 2026

Trends Admin

JUST IN: Fire Guts Section of Federal Secretariat in Abuja

A fire outbreak at the Federal Secretariat Complex, Abuja triggered panic on Monday morning after a section of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation was engulfed in thick smoke.

The incident occurred around 8:20 a.m. and affected Section C of the multi-storey building located within the federal government administrative complex in Abuja.

Eyewitnesses said heavy black smoke billowed from the affected floor, forcing workers and visitors to evacuate the building immediately as the situation escalated.

Videos circulating on social media showed plumes of smoke rising from the structure while staff members hurried out of the premises as security officials began clearing the area.

Officials from the media department of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation later confirmed the incident, noting that the fire was restricted to Section C of the building.

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“The fire outbreak is limited to Section C of the building and is currently being attended to by emergency officials,” the office said in a statement.

Personnel from the Federal Fire Service and other emergency agencies were quickly deployed to the scene to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to other parts of the complex.

Security personnel also cordoned off sections of the secretariat while firefighters battled the flames.

The incident reportedly disrupted normal activities around the complex, with workers temporarily stranded outside the building and vehicular movement around the area slowed as emergency vehicles gained access to the premises.

Authorities have not yet confirmed whether there were casualties or major structural damage, but officials said efforts were ongoing to fully extinguish the fire and secure the facility.

The cause of the fire had not been determined as of the time of filing this report, and investigations are expected to commence once the situation is brought under control.

JUST IN: Fire Guts Section of Federal Secretariat in Abuja

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Osun Youths Storm IBEDC Office Over Prolonged Blackout, Issue 7‑Day Ultimatum

Published

4 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Trends Admin

Osun Youths Storm IBEDC Office Over Prolonged Blackout, Issue 7‑Day Ultimatum

Residents and youths in Boripe Local Government Area, Osun State, have staged a protest at the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) office, demanding an immediate restoration of stable electricity supply. The demonstrators issued a seven‑day ultimatum for power to be reinstated, citing weeks of erratic supply and prolonged blackouts that have disrupted daily life, economic activities, and education in the area.

The protest was organised by members of the Nigerian Youth Congress, Boripe chapter, who described the blackout as a severe hardship for households, traders, artisans, and students preparing for exams. Group coordinator Hammed Oyetunji explained that many business owners have been forced to rely on generators and alternative energy sources, driving up operational costs and threatening livelihoods.

“The absence of electricity has disrupted economic activities and daily life for residents,” Oyetunji said. “For weeks, our communities have been subjected to prolonged blackout, causing serious hardship to residents, business owners, students, and artisans.” He added that electricity is essential for economic development and public safety, stressing that the blackout has slowed commercial activities and increased financial pressure on households.

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During the protest at IBEDC’s Osogbo office, demonstrators chanted solidarity songs and presented the company with a seven‑day ultimatum to restore Band A electricity classification, which guarantees longer hours of daily supply. Security personnel were deployed to maintain order, but the youths maintained pressure on the company to act immediately.

In response, IBEDC said the blackout is largely due to constraints in the national electricity grid, including limited gas supply to power plants and unstable energy allocations from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). The company acknowledged increased electricity demand in its franchise areas, particularly after the expansion of Band A feeders, and apologised for the disruption.

“Gas supply shortages to electricity generation plants have significantly reduced generation capacity nationwide, forcing distribution companies to implement increased load shedding,” IBEDC said. The company assured residents that it is engaging stakeholders to stabilise supply and minimise disruptions to homes, businesses, and public services.

The protest in Osun reflects growing frustration across Nigeria over unreliable electricity supply and the fragility of the national grid, with residents calling for urgent reforms and more sustainable power distribution solutions.