The National Inland Waterways Authority says human error — not mechanical failure — led to the 2024 boat accident that killed Nollywood actor Junior Pope and four others. NIWA Managing Director Bola Oyebamiji disclosed this on Thursday during a multi-modal transportation stakeholders’ forum in Abuja.
Oyebamiji explained that some passengers on the ill-fated boat had rejected life jackets before the incident occurred. He described the crash as a “flagrant disregard” for safety rules guiding movement on inland waterways.
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He warned that such behaviour undermines the agency’s efforts to improve waterway safety nationwide. The NIWA boss also urged water users to cooperate in raising awareness and complying with regulations.
Junior Pope died in April 2024 while returning from a film shoot for ‘Another Side of Life’. The boat, which capsized at Cable Point along the River Niger in Asaba, Delta State, was en route from Anam River in Anambra.
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