An outboard engine boat capsized off the shore of Mbo local government area in Akwa Ibom State, killing ten people.
The tragic news comes just three days after some medical students affiliated with the Nigeria Medical Students Association (NIMSA) were killed in a boat accident in Calabar, Cross River State, according to Naija News.
According to reports made available to journalists on Monday, five members of a family were among those killed in the recent incident in Akwa Ibom.
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According to Vanguard, the five victims were from the State’s Udung Uko local government area. They were returning from a fishing community on Bakassi Peninsula, Ine Ataobong, when they were caught in a violent storm which capsized their boat, with only two persons surviving the tragedy..
According to Eno Effai, who described herself as a relative of one of the survivors, there was no life jacket in the boat when the tragedy occurred.
“It is really so sad. The sea has been so rough this period. Many people have died in the sea while travelling to Mbo or Oron. And this particular one is really sad in the sense that a family of five, including the mother and school children, were involved in the mishap,” the relative reportedly said.
Meanwhile, a group called Mbo Concerned Citizens has reportedly lobbied for the establishment of a Coast Guard to help the government combat the illegal activities of sea pirates in the waterways.
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The committee considered that such an outfit would go a long way toward assisting those involved in the boat tragedy and therefore save lives.
According to newsmen, the group expressed its views in a brief statement signed by its Coordinator, Uloj Amba, and made accessible to journalists in Uyo, the state capital.
“It is becoming very necessary for the government, either federal or state to establish a Coast Guard with the mandate to checkmate the unholy activities of sea robbers.
“Our people, especially the fishermen, have suffered immensely in the hands of these pirates. No day passes by without any incident on the waterways, which is affecting the livelihood of our people, which is fishing.
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“Also, the outfit will greatly help sea travellers as it is being done in developed countries. Nothing stops us from starting it here as well, which will give opportunity to young and energetic people to be gainfully employed. So, we are appealing to the government to give this a thought. Many of our people have died during this period because of lack of help when they have boat mishaps,” the statement reads.
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