By Peter Omopo
September 4, 2025
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has expressed deep sorrow over the boat accident in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, which claimed at least 29 lives on Monday.
The tragedy occurred in Gausawa community, Malale Ward, when a wooden boat carrying about 90 passengers capsized after colliding with a tree stump. Authorities have linked the incident to overloading, with women and children among the casualties.
In a condolence message shared on X on Thursday, Atiku described the mishap as “a painful reminder of the urgent need to strengthen safety in our waterways.”
“Overloading must be discouraged, capacities strictly adhered to, and the provision of life jackets made compulsory. The cost of safety is far cheaper than the cost of lives cut short in preventable tragedies,” he wrote.
Atiku, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), noted that boat travel remains indispensable for Nigerians in riverine areas but warned that inadequate infrastructure and weak enforcement of safety standards continue to endanger lives.
He extended condolences to the bereaved families, the Gausawa community, and the Niger State government, praying for comfort for those affected and eternal rest for the victims.
Boat accidents are common across Nigeria’s inland waterways, where poor regulation, lack of safety gear, overcrowding, and night travel have led to frequent mass casualties. In September 2023, at least 26 people died when an overloaded boat sank in Mokwa, Niger State. Similar tragedies have been recorded in Kebbi, Kwara, Anambra, and Lagos in recent years.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) said rescue operations were still ongoing in Gausawa, with local divers and volunteers assisting in the search for missing passengers.
The incident has renewed calls for stricter enforcement of water transport regulations and greater government investment in inland waterway infrastructure.
