Pastor, relations, others drown in Bayelsa boats collision

A pastor and seven other travellers drowned along Ogbeinbiri Community River in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State when two boats conveying passengers collided on Friday.

One of the boats was reportedly transporting a sick woman to hospital in Yenagoa, the state capital, through Amassoma waterway when it collided with another boat, killing the 39-year-old pastor and the seven others.

The pastor was identified as the General Overseer of the Supernatural Church of God located in Ogbeinbiri community, while three other victims of the accident were identified as relatives and in-laws of the pastor.

The incident was said to have happened around 1:30am on Friday.

The state government had placed a restriction on movement on waterways in the night to check accidents and insecurity.

Local divers searching for survivors were reportedly able to rescue only one person.

They identified those still missing as Augustine Kieribo, Felix Azazi, Stephen Moses also known as Kekere, Adibo Kekere’s mother, Tou Kekere’s wife, and others.

The sick lady, according to a community source, was admitted at the Cottage Hospital in Ogbienbiri but the hospital was said to lack oxygen needed to get her out of coma.

The Bayelsa State Chapter Chairman of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Comrade Ogoniba Ipigansi, confirmed the incident.

Already, the senator representing Bayelsa Central in the National Assembly, Senator Cleopas Moses, has commiserated with the people of Ogboinbiri Community and the families that lost loved ones.

Spokesman for Bayelsa State Police command, SP Asinim Butswat, promised to comment on the incident as soon as he got its details.