One of the survivors of the weekend boat mishap has narrated how three of them survived the incident, saying it was God that saved them.
Eighteen persons were reported dead, while three others were rescued when a boat conveying 21 people from Badore in Ajah to Ikorodu capsized on Saturday.
The survivors, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), were rescued by some local fishermen who were fishing within the vicinity as at the time the boat sank around 8.45pm
The survivor, who simply identified himself as Godwin, told Eko Trust that they survived by the stroke of luck, insisting that they too would have died if not for God’s intervention.
“I arrived the jetty around 8.20 pm. When I got to the jetty I met other passengers who were eagerly waiting if they could see any boat that will ferry them across the river. I joined them. It was not until around 8.30pm that we saw a boat. We begged him to take us across the river. He refused initially, but later agreed when we offered to pay him N500 each. I think we were about 20 at the jetty at that time. So we all climbed on-board the boat and we took off.
“I cannot say if the boat ran over any log or sand dun, but all I noticed was that the boat started taking in water. Trust Nigerians, we started screaming; those who could pray started praying. I saw one of us jumped into the water and started making effort to swim, a second person followed. When I saw this scenario, I felt that it would be better if I make a little effort too, so I jumped. The three of us headed towards a plastic Jerry can floating on the surface of the water. We grabbed onto it and together we started calling out for help. I passed out as soon as they dragged me into their boat. That is all I can remember” he added.
NEMA Public Relations Officer (PRO), South-West Region, Ibrahim Farinloye, who confirmed the figure, said that 18 bodies were recovered by rescuers on Monday.
Farinloye gave the names of two of the survivors as Samule Koledoye of Madan quarters, Ijede and Agbara Adeniji.
He said one of the survivors, Samuel Koledoye, revealed that 21 passengers including the driver of the boat were on-board the boat before it drowned last Saturday.
“He revealed that the boat was not a commercial boat and that apparently not one of the boats from any of the jetties”.
He said at the time he was passing the jetty, all commercial boats had close operations for the day as no commercial boat is allowed to operate in the state from 7:00 p.m. He further explained that the stranded passengers begged the boat operator to help transport them across the lagoon.
He also said that the operator had warned them that he did not have life jackets but that the stranded people begged him to carry them, notwithstanding. They offered to pay him N500 each as against the N300 collected for the same journey.
“He said that when they took off around 8.30pm, the journey was smooth until they approached Ijede and started observing that the boat was sinking.
“He said that when the boat sank, because he could swim a little, he swam until he saw a Jerry can that was floating. He said that three of them who survived grabbed hold of the jerry can and started calling for help until some fishermen around came to rescue them” Fafinloye added.
Farinloye further revealed that on the accounts of Koledoye, 18 passengers were drowned while four bodies were recovered on Sunday the remaining 14 were recovered on Monday.
On how the bodies were recovered, Farinloye said that the Chairman, Ijede Local Government Development Council (ILGDC), and Boat Operators Association (BOA), empowered various local fishermen and some individuals to join others in the recovery of the bodies.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Emergency Agency (LASEMA), Dr Oke -Osanyintolu, said that the boat mishap occurred on June 29, 2019.
He said that investigations conducted revealed that the boat was en-route Badore (Ajah) to Egbin (Ikorodu) with between 17 and 21 passengers on board.
“The boat allegedly capsized due to overloading. It was gathered that the boat was overturned by the heavy current.
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