The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas has expressed grief over the Kwara boat mishap, which claimed the lives of 104 people.
Hon. Abbas said he was deeply pained that the precious lives of over 100 of our compatriots were lost during the unfortunate incident, which occurred at the Patigi Local Government area of the state.
He said the news of the mishap was as devastating as it was heartbreaking, noting that such incidents must be avoided to save the lives of Nigerians.
“My heart bleeds. I was pained and devastated at the news of the boat mishap in Kwara. The lives of 104 Nigerians were so precious, but we lost them just like that in one fell swoop.
“The incident was one too many. We must guard against such occurrence in future. Necessary actions must be taken to prevent such incident.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those that lost their loved ones during the incident,” Speaker Abbas said.
He sent his heartfelt condolences to the people and the Government of Kwara State over the losses of lives, which he described as sorrowful.
Hon. Abbas prayed for the repose of the souls of those that lost their lives, and wished those that sustained injuries from the incident a very quick recovery.
In the same vein, Director General of National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Professor Olanrewaju Sulaiman as extended condolences to Emir of Patigi following tragic loss of lives in the boat mishap.
Professor Sulaiman who called for investigation into the ugly incident, underscored the need for relevant authorities to put adequate and necessary measures in place to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
He said: “In these trying and grieving times, I would like to express my deepest sympathy to the Emir of Patigi, Alhaji Ibrahim Chatta Umar Boligi II and the residents of Patigi Local Government Area in Kwara State.
“We mourn the tragic incident of the recent boat capsizing, which occurred just a week ago, resulting in the loss of over a hundred lives.
“I beseech Almighty Allah to grant forgiveness to the souls involved and provide their families and the entire community with the strength to endure this profound loss.
“Furthermore, I urge the government to take immediate and thorough action in investigating the cause of this unfortunate incident. It is crucial to implement adequate and necessary measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future. Please accept my heartfelt condolences,” the statement read.
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