The National Inland Waterways Authority NIWA has revealed that the boat accident that claimed the life of Nollywood actor Junior Pope and four others on the Anam River in Anambra State in 2024 was caused by human error not mechanical fault
This was made known by the Managing Director of NIWA Bola Oyebamiji during a multi-modal transportation stakeholders forum held in Abuja on Thursday
PASSENGERS REJECTED LIFE JACKETS
Oyebamiji explained that investigations showed some of the passengers rejected life jackets that were offered to them before the boat set out on its journey
He said
“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”
AGENCY’S SAFETY EFFORTS UNDERMINED
According to Oyebamiji such careless actions by passengers undermine NIWA’s efforts to enforce safety protocols and ensure secure navigation on the nation’s waterways
He called on all water users to cooperate with NIWA by helping to raise safety awareness and promote responsible conduct across all routes
HIGH-PROFILE ATTENDEES AT STAKEHOLDERS MEETING
The forum was attended by top industry figures including the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo the Director-General Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau the Director-General Nigerian Meteorological Agency and Air Peace CEO Allen Onyema among others
DETAILS OF THE TRAGIC INCIDENT
Junior Pope lost his life in April 2024 when the boat carrying him and crew members capsized around Cable Point at the River Niger waterside in Asaba Delta State while returning from a movie shoot titled ‘Another Side of Life’ produced by Adanma
The accident shook the entertainment industry and sparked renewed calls for strict enforcement of water safety measures across the country
Despite efforts by NIWA and other agencies to improve inland water transport safety lapses such as non-use of life jackets overloading and ignorance of safety protocols continue to cause avoidable tragedies This case has reignited the conversation about public responsibility and the need for stronger enforcement and safety education