Sixteen would-be migrants have died and another 28 are missing after a boat carrying 77 people capsized off the coast of Djibouti, the second such incident in two weeks, the United Nations migration agency said on Tuesday.

The boat’s occupants included children, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said in a post on social media platform X.

It said its Djiboutian office was helping with rescue efforts.

Two weeks ago, the United Nations migration agency reported that 38 people, including children, died in another shipwreck off the Djibouti coast.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said at least six other people were missing and presumed dead, and that 22 survivors were being assisted by the IOM and local authorities.

Yvonne Ndege, regional spokesperson for the IOM, said the shipwreck happened about 200 metres off Djibouti and that the boat carrying the migrants had left Yemen around 2 a.m. local time on April 8.

It sank about two hours later with around 66 people on board, predominantly from the Horn of Africa region.

They were believed to be mostly Ethiopian nationals, she said.

“Every year tens of thousands of migrants leave the Horn of Africa, mainly from Ethiopia and Somalia trying to reach the Gulf nations,” Ndege said.

“(But) thousands are stuck in Yemen. It’s rational to conclude that the group of migrants who perished in this tragedy was trying to return to Djibouti to buy time and try again later or return home.” 

– Reuters

…As 4 die, and 8 injured in two accidents on Ogun highways

No fewer than 11 persons lost their lives while 16 others were injured, with one person rescued unhurt in an auto crash at Gaya junction along the Kano – Maiduguri road.

The Kano State FRSC Sector Commander, Ibrahim Sallau-Abdullahi, disclosed this in a statement issued by the Connand’s spokesperson, Abdullahi Labaran, on Saturday in Kano.

He said that the accident involved two vehicles, a Toyota Hummer bus, with registration number KTG 190 XB and a Hijet mini pick-up, with registration number KTG 501 YG.

“We received a call at about 03:45 p.m. on April 19, 2024. On receiving the information, we quickly dispatched our personnel and vehicle to the scene of the incident to rescue the victims at 03:55 p.m.,” Abdullahi.

The sector commander said that the accident occurred as a result of speeding and loss of control, which led to a head-on collision as two vehicles burst into flames immediately.

“The accident involved a total of 28 passengers in the two vehicles, out of which 11 lost their lives while 16 others sustained serious injuries, and one rescued unhurt.

“The injured were taken to Gaya General Hospital for urgent medical treatment, while the corpses were respectfully laid to rest in a mass burial ceremony”, Abdullahi said.

The sector commander, who lamented the occurrence of the incident, emphasized the importance of compliance with road safety rules and regulations.

He urged drivers to refrain from committing traffic offences such as speed violations and overloading of vehicles with passengers, animals or goods.

Abdullahi also advised commercial drivers to install speed limit devices on their vehicles to avoid crashes resulting from speed limit violations.

He said that the command was committed to ensuring the safety of road users, vowing,” We will intensify efforts to enforce traffic regulations to prevent similar incidents in the future.” 

 In another development, two persons died while three others were injured in an auto crash on the Ijebu Ode-Ore Road on Friday.

On Saturday, two persons died while five others were injured in another auto crash on the Ogun side of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Spokesperson of the Federal Road Safety Corps in Ogun, Mrs Florence Okpe, stated in Abeokuta on Saturday that one of the corpses of Friday’s accident was handed over to its family.

The second corpse was deposited at the morgue of a hospital Ijebu-Ode where the injured were taken, she stated.

She added that Saturday’s crash on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway was a lone accident caused by excessive over-speeding by the driver of the Toyota car which somersaulted.

“The accident claimed the lives of a woman and a female child.

“Seven persons were involved in the lone crash in which five persons sustained injuries,’’ Okpe stated.

The injured victims were taken to a hospital in Sagamu while the deceased were deposited at the morgue of the same hospital. 

…As Ali Nuhu says recent deaths in movie industry rob the nation of legendary filmmakers

 The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), has conveyed its deepest regret over the unfortunate boat mishap which claimed four lives on Wednesday.

It could not yet be established whether or not, all the passengers wore lifejackets at the time of the incident.

A condolence message by Dakio Horsfall, the Acting General Manager (Marine) of the authority, on Thursday in Lokoja, said the management of the authority condoled with the Actors Guild of Nigeria and the victims’ families over the losses.

The mishap reportedly involved two boars on the River Niger en route to Asaba in Delta State at about 2:00 P.M. on Wednesday.

The accident, which involved an unregistered fibreglass boat with 12 persons on board and a privately owned wooden boat with a lone driver, left four persons dead, while seven others were rescued.

Horsfall said: “Preliminary reports indicated that the accident resulted from a frontal collision between the two boats due to overspeeding.

“Sadly, two people died at the scene of the accident, two more bodies were recovered 24 hours later off-site, while 7 persons were rescued.

“Consequently, the Authority commiserates with the families of the deceased persons and pray that the good Lord will repose the souls of the departed”.

He said that upon the receipt of the report of the accident through its community-based structure, the NIWA deployed its search and rescue team to the scene for immediate rescue activities.

According to him, the team and other stakeholders including the local divers, swung into action and have continued the search and rescue effort since Wednesday.

“As of the last count, one person is still unaccounted for.

“Also, the Marine Department of NIWA has activated its accident investigation mechanism to determine the cause(s) of the accident and make appropriate recommendations,” he said

The manager stressed the need for all users of the inland waterways to, mandatorily, adhere to all the established safety protocols, including the completion of passenger manifest at the loading and offloading points.

“The usage of life jackets on the waterways is mandatory, avoiding over speeding, and yielding to weather dictates, at all times,” he said.

Horsfall commended the Marine Police, local divers/ fishermen, Maritime Unions and other good-hearted Nigerians who rose to support the Authority in its rescue efforts.

“Nevertheless, NIWA hereby assures all Nigerians of its continuous efforts aimed at promoting safer inland waterways for the use of all”.

In another development, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), Mr Ali Nuhu has said that recent deaths in the movie industry have robbed the nation of legendary filmmakers.

This is contained in a statement signed by Brian Etuk,  the Director of Public Affairs of the NFC in Abuja.

Nuhu described the death of Saratu Gidado (aka Daso) and John Odonwodo,  known as Junior Pope, as heart-wrenching for colleagues and film industry stakeholders.

”Their deaths, which occurred within the week has left  Nigeria’s movie industry in a state of mourning.

”Stakeholders have been pained by the frequent recent losses robbing the country of legendary filmmakers,  who have impacted and contributed greatly to the growth of Nigeria’s film industry.

“Their footprints within the development of the Nigerian film industry will not be forgotten,” he said.

Speaking about the late Gidado, the NFC boss said she caught the fancy and interest of Nigerians, particularly as a lead character in several of Kannywood films,  such as ‘Linzami Da Wuta’ and ‘Gidauniya’.

”She was a Zuma Film Festival(ZUFF)  2023 Life Time Achievers Awardee but sadly succumbed to death in the early hours of Tuesday, April 9.

“Odonwodo’s role in showcasing the professional competencies and screen delivery by actors is remarkable,  as can be found in ‘Honey Money’, ‘Blood Affair’ and ‘Wrong Initiation’ movies in which the late actor acted.

 “While Mr Ibu delivered that evoked laughter and comic relief,  leaving behind a gap to be filled, the refined gentlemen shall be greatly missed,” he added.

Nuhu pledged that the NFC would continue to support the film industry policy initiatives that promoted friendly and safe working conditions,  including medical, health and life insurance schemes for stakeholders.

Nuhu also sympathised with the immediate families, friends and associates of the deceased, as well as the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) and prayed that Almighty God grant them rest.