Soludo Mourns as 76 Persons are Declared Missing in Anambra Boat Mishap

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

Anambra State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has condoled the families of persons involved in a boat mishap that occurred in Umunnankwo Community in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state.

About 76 persons were reported missing in a boat mishap that occurred in the riverine LGA of the state.
The incident, according to the chairman of the Transition Committee of the local government area, Hon. Pascal Aniegbuna happened on Friday, October 7, 2022, in the Umunnankwo community.

The ill-fated boat said to be carrying about 85 persons on board, was said to have taken off from Onukwu Bridge and was heading to Nkwo market, Ogbakuba when capsized.

THISDAY gathered that about 76 persons were unaccounted for, after a rescue operation.
Soludo’s condolence message to the families of the victims, which was signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, described the accident as a shock.
Aburime said: “This development is still a shock to the government and good people of Anambra State. I sympathise with the families of people involved.”
He said Soludo sent several interventions to the people of the flood-ravaged area, who have all relocated to IDP camps for safety.

He promised that the state government would continue to do its best to reduce the negative effects of the flood disaster in the state.
Meanwhile, a former member of the House of Representatives, who represented the Ogbaru federal constituency, Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, in a swift reaction to the incident, has expressed shock and deep sorrow.

Ogene, who is the Labour Party candidate for the Ogbaru Federal Constituency in the 2023 elections, lamented that Ogbaru was devastated, saying: “I am in shock over the horrendous boat accident that took the precious lives of some of its sons and daughters.”

He said further: “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 Ogbaru 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.”