24 hours after, cause of Lagos boat mishap unknown, two persons still missing

Senatorial aspirant urges govt to enforce strict rules in waterways
Twenty-four hours after five persons lost their lives in a boat accident in Lagos, two persons who boarded the ill-fated boat were still missing yesterday and have not been found. Also, the cause of the boat mishap where 13 passengers were rescued is still not yet known.

When The Guardian contacted the regulatory agency, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), it said it was still investigating the reason that led to the accident.

The boat, ‘Blue Boat Marine’, was travelling from Marina Jetty heading towards Ikorodu Terminal loaded with 20 passengers and two crewmembers. The boat capsized at about 5:00p.m. while it was on its last leg of the journey not too far from its destination.

Meanwhile, a senatorial aspirant from the area, Otunba Ganiu Abiru, has sympathised with victims and their families, urging both the state and Federal Government to enforce strict rules on waterways across the state.

In a statement released yesterday and signed by Comrade Kehinde Okeowo, Director-General, Ganiu Olusegun Abiru Senatorial Campaign
Team (GOA), he also called on the Lagos State government to promptly improve on the transportation services on the waterways, to restore the confidence of Lagos commuters.

To ensure strict adherence to safety measures by ferry operators on the waterways, he enjoined users of the ferry services to report sharp practices noticed or observed among operators, in order to bring erring operators to book.

Abiru also prayed for the repose of the souls of the departed, while praying for God to grant deceased families the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.