A cameraman hired to cover a burial ceremony has drowned following a boat accident along the Onyoma Ekowe waterway in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The victim, identified as Mr. Luke Wonamah, hailed from Okanga community in Iyala Local Government Area of Cross River State.
He was returning from a burial assignment last Thursday when the passenger boat he boarded capsized around 2pm.
According to information gathered from local boat operators and members of the Maritime Workers Union, the boat was reportedly overloaded and failed to comply with basic safety procedures. Wonamah, who was serving as the still cameraman for the event, fell into the river when the vessel overturned and drowned before help could reach him.
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Confirming the incident, the Chairman of the Nigerian Maritime Workers Union in Bayelsa State, Ogoniba Ipigansi, stressed the urgent need for strict adherence to maritime safety rules. He explained that union personnel and beach masters at nearby loading points rescued the other passengers, but one person later identified as Wonamah initially remained missing.
Ipigansi added that the boat operator defied regulations by loading passengers at an unauthorized point and failing to provide life jackets. “The boat carried 12 passengers, and one was missing. After intensifying our search, we recovered the deceased,” he said.
Reacting to the accident, the Chairman of Southern Ijaw Local Government Council, Hon. Target Isaiah Segibo, condemned the continued disregard for safety protocols by marine transport operators. In a statement issued by his Press Secretary, Ayebaitari Easterday, he urged boat drivers to comply fully with government directives to prevent avoidable tragedies on the waterways.
