About 30 passengers of an ill-fated boat have been declared missing.
The boat, which was conveying 85 persons capsized in the Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra state on Friday.
According to multiple eyewitnesses, the boat took off from Onukwu bridge and was heading to Nkwo market, Ogbakuba before it capsized.
“So far, unofficial reports indicate that between 20-30 persons are yet unaccounted for,” a witness who spoke in confidence said.
Transition Committee Chairman, Ogbaru Local Government Area, Hon. Pascal Aniegbuna stated that some of the passengers of the ill-fated boat were rescued, while some others are suspected dead.
Reacting, former House of Representatives member, Hon. Victor Afam Ogene expressed shock and deep sorrow over the incident, describing it as unfortunate.
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Ogene, who is the Labour Party House of Representatives candidate for Ogbaru Federal Constituency, in a statement on Saturday, said, “Ogbaru is devastated and in shock over the horrendous boat accident that took the precious lives of some of its sons and daughters.
“This sad news of this terrible accident is numbing and painful to me as a person and must be very devastating, especially to the immediate families of the victims. This is a collective loss for Ogbaru as a whole and we are united in sorrow.
“My condolences go to the affected families and also Ogbahu people and communities, who have in recent times found themselves in the jaws of severe flood disaster that has practically submerged all our communities and displaced thousands of people.”
Ogene had earlier made an appeal to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to come to the rescue of the people of the community over the flood disaster in the area.
According to Ogene, houses, farms and other businesses in Ogbaru have been swallowed by the horrendous flood, leaving many people in dire agony, sorrow, tears and hopelessness.
He listed some of the affected communities as Ogwu Ikpele, Akili Ogidi, Obeagwe, Ossomala, Ogwuaniocha, Umunankwo, Ogbakuba, Ochuche, Umuzu, Akili Ozizor, Atani, Ohita and Odekpe.
“Other areas devastated by the ravaging flood include Amiyi, Iyiowa, Ogbeukwu, Okoti and parts of Okpoko,” he added.