The National Inland Waterways Authority has disclosed that the boat mishap in which the popular Nollywood actor, Johnpaul Odonwodo, popularly known as “Junior Pope,” and others lost their lives was caused by ignorance, negligence, and non-adherence to due process on the waters.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive of NIWA, Bola Oyebamiji, disclosed this in Onitsha, Anambra State, on Thursday, during the ‘2024 safety sensitisation campaign on Nigerian waterways’ organised for boat operators, stakeholders, and staff.
PUNCH Online had reported that the news of Junior Pope’s death was shared on Wednesday, April 10, by filmmaker, Samuel Olatunji.
“Four actors, including Jnr Pope, fell into the Anam River on their way to a location, and their bodies have been recovered,” he had said.
Family, fans, and celebrities were in tears as the late actor was laid to rest on May 17 in his hometown of Ukehe in the Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Oyebamiji, represented by the Area Manager of NIWA, Suleiman A. Nicholas, said the passengers on the ill-fated boat did not pass through the normal process as they just went to the waterfront and jumped into the boat and moved.
He said, “The boat mishap in which Junior Pope and others lost their lives was caused by ignorance, they did not pass through the normal process, they just went to the waterfront and jumped into the boat and moved.
They were demonstrating inside the boat and their demonstrations caught the attention of the boat operator before they realised their mistake. They hit a wooden object that capsized their boat and they sank and got drowned, and unfortunately, they were not on life jackets. It was an avoidable death and unfortunate. May their souls rest in peace.”During the sensitisation, he, however, said NIWA had warned boat operators and passengers that ply the waterways to register their boats with the agency to avoid arrest and seizure of such boats by NIWA Police.
According to him, NIWA has issued a marching order of “No life jacket, no travel” to boat operators and passengers across the country, warning that if any boat operators or passengers are caught operating or travelling without a life jacket, they will be severely dealt with or face prosecution.
source: punchng.com
