Hundreds of passengers escaped death by the whisker when a cargo boat they were travelling in allegedly capsized along the Bile waterways in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.
It was gathered that the passengers were travelling to Kula in Akuku-Toru LGA when the incident occurred on Thursday.
An indigene of Kula in Akuku-Toro LGA, Soboibo Awara, who disclosed this to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Friday.
He however said several goods and valuables belonging to the passengers were destroyed when the cargo boat capsized.
While expressing delight that no life was lost, he said the boat was carrying about 400 passengers and goods to Kula, Abissa, Bile and other riverine settlements when the incident occurred.
He stated, “Around Bile area, a cargo boat going to Kula carrying over 400 people and goods worth millions of naira was submerged and capsized around Chikama. The people have been rescued; no life was lost but all their goods were destroyed.”
He appealed to the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara to provide love cruise boats for the people of Kula, Abissa, ke, Bile to forestall such boat accidents in the future.
When contacted, spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she had yet to get a report of such an incident.
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