The National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, has attributed the 2024 boat accident that claimed the life of Nollywood actor Junior Pope and four others to human error, not mechanical failure.
NIWA Managing Director, Bola Oyebamiji, made the disclosure in Abuja at a multimodal transport stakeholders’ forum, revealing that some passengers refused to wear life jackets before the vessel capsized on the Anam River.
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He said the tragedy resulted from a disregard for safety regulations, rather than poor weather or equipment failure, and warned that such negligence undermines efforts to ensure safe inland water travel.
The accident occurred near Cable Point on the River Niger in Asaba, Delta State, as the crew was returning from a film shoot.
The forum was attended by top transport and aviation officials, including Minister Festus Keyamo and Air Peace CEO Allen Onyema.
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