The Federal Government has attributed the boat accident that claimed the life of Nollywood actor, Junior Pope Odonwodo, and four others in April 2024, to human error and disregard for safety regulations.
Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Bola Oyebamiji, made the disclosure on Thursday at a multi-modal transportation stakeholders’ forum held in Abuja.
Addressing growing concerns over the safety of Nigeria’s inland waterways, Oyebamiji dismissed earlier speculations that mechanical failure or environmental factors were responsible for the tragedy on the Anam River in Anambra State.
“It was not mechanical failure, not impediments in the water or weather challenges, but purely a flagrant disregard for rules and regulations guiding movement on the inland waterways,” he said.
Oyebamiji explained that passengers on board had reportedly refused to wear life jackets, despite being provided with them, and stressed that such behaviour continues to frustrate the agency’s safety enforcement efforts.
He urged waterway users across the country to adhere strictly to safety protocols and work in partnership with NIWA to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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The Abuja forum brought together key industry players, including the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo; the Director-General of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau; the Director-General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency; and the CEO of Air Peace, Allen Onyema.
Actor Junior Pope and four crew members died when their boat capsized near Cable Point on the River Niger in Asaba, Delta State, while returning from the set of the film Another Side of Life, produced by Adanma Luke.
