The National President of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Prince Yemisi Adeaga, has commiserated with the Chairman of Mokwa Local Government Council in Niger State over the recent boat mishap that claimed many lives and properties.
The National President spoke through the Niger State Branch Chairman of the Organization, Alhaji Hamisu Musa Jankaro, when he led other Governing board and management of the branch on a condolence visit at the council Secretariat in Mokwa township of the system.
Prince Yemisi disclosed that they were in Mokwa to share the moment of grief with the Council Boss and the entire people of Mokwa local government areas of the state over the tragic incident.
He said Redcross deemed it fit to symphatize with them and prayed to God to avert future recurrence of the unfortunate incident, just as he informed the Council chairman that Redcross is an humanitarian organization that assists the people to ameliorate their sufferings in case of natural disasters.
The Red cross National President however appealed to the council chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Jibrin Miuregi to synergise with Community and vigilantes with a view to checkmating the unnecessary overloading of passengers on commercial boats.
Also in his remarks during the visit, the state Branch Secretary of Redcross, Mr Gideon Adamu Paiko, urged the people of Mokwa LGA to take the incident as an act of God and prayed God to forgive and grant those who lost their lives eternal rest and prayed for quick recovery of other injured victims.
Mr Paiko disclosed that Lagdo Dam in the Republic of Cameroon has released excessive water and advised riverine communities in the state to take precautionary measures to avoid loss of lives and properties of the people by moving uplands.
Also speaking during the visit, the State Health Adviser of Red Cross, Dr.Yahaya Madaki, warned the people of the area that henceforth, live jackets distributed by NEMA, HYPADE and NIWA among others should be used by all passengers traveling on canoes or boats in order to guard against loss of lives and properties.
Responding, the Chairman of Mokwa Local Government Council, Alhaji Jibrin Abdullahi Miuregi, represented by the council vice Chairman, Musa Alhaji Aliyu Kimbokun, thanked the National President of the Nigerian Red Cross Society and his entourage for the visit and prayed God to reward them abundantly.
He thereby promised to deliver their message to the Traditional Ruler, Ndalele of Mokwa, Alhaji Mohammed Shaba Aliyu on their visit.
It would be recalled that 29 people were reported to have lost their lives and 32 others rescued when a canoe capsized in Gbajibo river between Jabba and Kainji Dams in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State in the early hours of last Sunday.
Tribune Online further learnt that the victims of the boat mishap who were mostly women including pregnant women from Gbajibo, Ekwa and Yankyade communities were said to have gone to their farms at Gidan Mangoro to harvest groundnuts and other forms of produce when the incident occured.
As of the time of compiling this report, staff of the state Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Niger State Emergency Management Agency, (NSEMA) in collaboration with the Mokwa Local Government Council and the communities, local divers were still conducting a search, rescue and recovery operations at the scene of the incident.
Meanwhile, further checks revealed that so far, no fewer than about 66 persons have been allegedly rescued from over 100 persons said to be on board the ill-fated Boat when the incident occured.
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