BOAT MISHAP: KOGI DEP GOV, NEMA, KOSEMA VISITS IBAJI
..AS SEARCH FOR SURVIVAL CONTINUES
The Deputy of Kogi State, Board Chairman SEMA, His Excellency Elder Joel Salifu Oyibo, led Kogi State Emergency response team to Ibaji LGA. During this visit, he sympathized with the Ejeh Ibaji, HRH John Egwemi, and entire Ibaji Community.
Furthermore, the Deputy Governor stressed that Administration under the able leadership of His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, is committed in safeguarding lives and property of the citizens, and assured them of government’s quick interventions.
In proactive response to the victims of boat mishap that caused death and missing of passengers in Ibaji LGA, Kogi State Emergency Response Team and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Head Abuja Operations Office, Alhaji Zakari Abubakar, visited Onugwa Community in Ibaji LGA, to commiserate and profile to ascertain the number of death, number of missing victims, survivors or information on the extent of loss, and immediate needs of the victims.
The exercise which was carried out in Ibaji LGA also witnessed presence of relevant stakeholders which included National Inland Waterways Authority delegation, Ngeria Security and Civil Defence Corps delegation, Nigerian Red Cross delegation, Representatives from both Federal and State Fire Services, and members of host community.
According to the Executive Secretary KOSEMA, Alh Mouktar Atimah, “We have come to commiserate with HRH John Egwemi, Ejeh Ibaji; HRH Patrick Arome, Okiya of Onugwa community; bereaved families; and entire Onugwa Community in Ibaji LGA. We are here to see things for the Kogi State Administration led by workaholic Chief Servant His Execellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo and Ferderal Government through National Emergency Management Agency to profile and ascertain loss for government’s quick interventions.
The remarks from another critical partner, Head Abuja Operations NEMA, Alhaji Zakari Abubakar, representing the Director General NEMA, Hajia Zubaida Umar, sympathized with the victims, and stressed futher that the office received the shock notice of boat mishap incident and the team came for assessment, emphasizing on continuous search and rescue of the missing dead bodies until all recovered, and promising to report back to the Director General for prompt government’s interventions.
According to Kogi SEMA, 80 passengers boarded the boat, 68 were rescued alive, 36 were dead, and out of the thirty-six (36), 13 corps have so far been recovered from the boat mishap, 23 bodies are still missing, while search and rescue continues.
During the visit, the team paid a courtesy visit to the Ejeh Ibaji, HRM John Egwemi, the chairman of Ibaji Traditional Council, to commiserate with him over the boat mishap incident.
While welcoming the team, the Ejeh Ibaji, HRH John Egwemi, appreciated the Deputy Governor and his team for prompt response to the situation and appealed for government’s quick interventions.
In his remarks, the Okiya of Onugwa Community in Ibaji LGA, HRH Patrick Arome, lauded the visit, commended State and Federal Government for its swift and quick response, and appealed for government’s interventions, stressing that the boat serves as source of income for the community, and requested for new boat from government.October 1, 2025
