The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has officially clarified the cause of the tragic boat accident that claimed the lives of popular Nollywood actor Junior Pope and four other individuals on the Anam River in Anambra State in April 2024. Contrary to earlier assumptions, NIWA has confirmed that the unfortunate incident was not the result of any mechanical failure or environmental condition, but rather due to preventable human error.
This revelation was made by NIWA’s Managing Director, Bola Oyebamiji, during his address at a multi-modal transportation stakeholders forum held in Abuja on Thursday. His comments came in response to growing concerns from the public and key players in the transportation industry regarding repeated safety failures on Nigeria’s inland waterways.
Oyebamiji categorically dismissed earlier speculations that factors such as faulty engines, poor weather conditions, or submerged obstacles in the river might have been responsible for the tragic event. Instead, he squarely blamed the accident on the reckless disregard for established safety protocols by those onboard the ill-fated vessel.
“It was not mechanical failure, not impediments in the water or weather challenges, but purely a flagrant disregard for rules and regulations guiding movement on the inland waterways,” Oyebamiji stated. He added that passengers aboard the vessel, including the late actor and his crew, had been provided with life jackets but chose not to wear them — a decision that ultimately cost lives.
He lamented that such unsafe behaviour continues to pose serious threats to NIWA’s ongoing efforts to enforce safety compliance and reduce waterway-related fatalities. Oyebamiji called for stronger public cooperation, urging all waterway users, operators, and passengers to prioritize safety measures, including the consistent use of life jackets and adherence to navigation guidelines.
The stakeholders’ forum, which was convened to promote inter-agency collaboration and improve transportation safety nationwide, featured the participation of several key figures. Among them were the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo; the Director-General of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau; the Director-General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency; and Air Peace CEO, Allen Onyema, among other influential voices in the transport and aviation sectors.
As previously reported, actor Junior Pope Odonwodo lost his life along with four crew members when their boat capsized near Cable Point on the River Niger in Asaba, Delta State. They were reportedly returning from a film location after shooting scenes for the movie titled “Another Side of Life,” produced by filmmaker Adanma Luke. The loss of Junior Pope sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry and the nation at large, prompting urgent calls for reform in inland water transportation safety.