Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State in response to the Njuwa Lake tragedy which claimed it no fewer than fifteen lives has ordered the immediate all appropriate authorities to inspect and to ensure strict compliance to safety regulations associated with water ways to avert future reoccurrence of the Njuwa Lake experience.
He has also commiserated with the families of the victims who lost their lives in the unfortunate incident.
In a statement signed and made available to Pioneer News by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Humwashi Wonosoiku, the governor of the state who was visibly worried over the unfortunate incident had ordered the immediate review of the safety procedures already in place to secure our waterways.
He further directed all other rescue and relief agencies to head to the scene of the disaster immediately to provide succour to victims and recovery of missing bodies.
The governor further prayed for the repose of the souls of the victims and their families to develop the capacity to bear the unimaginable pains of the irreparable loss.
It could be recalled that no fewer than fifteen persons were reported to have died when a boat conveying passengers capsized in Njuwa lake located in Yola south local government area of Adamawa state.
Sources told pioneer News correspondent that the passengers including children were being ferried across the popular traditional lake to Rugange village after attending to business concerns in Yola when the Boat suddenly capsized leaving the occupants struggling to make it to the banks of the lake for safety.
Pioneer News learnt that the victims of the boat mishap were returning home after a day’s business transactions from the Yola market when they got caught up in a heavy winds storm in the middle of the lake leading to the unfortunate incident.
According to an eye witness who gave his name as Faisal Dabo Rugange, the occupants of the boat were numbering twenty when the boat capsided with only six of them rescued by local divers prior to the appearance of a bigger boat on the scene to rescue the victims.
He told our correspondent that in spite of the prolonged search mounted, the rest of the occupants are still missing throwing the entire Rugange community into mourning.
Our correspondent reports that the perennial flood and its devastating experience on the nearby communities including the loss of lives and property have remained a matter of serious concern to both community and the government.
Several inhabitants of Rugange village who spoke to Pioneer News correspondents
have called on the appropriate authorities to intervene in the continued misfortunes of the community which has now become an intermittent affair.
When the Adamawa State Coordinator of the State Emergency Agency, Mohammed Suleiman was approached for comment, he told our correspondent that one of the rescued victims died later while seventeen bodies are still yet to be recovered.
He further confirmed that five of the occupants of the boat have been rescued at the scene of the incident.
PIONEER NEWS 