Bayelsa Boat Mishap: Oil Firms, Politicians from Nembe, Brass Look Away • Community Volunteers Fear Hundreds Still Under Water • Rescue Equipment Unavailable

About six days after the accident involving a house boat along the Yengoa-Nembe-Brass waterway, only six bodies have been recovered so far, even as volunteers from the Okoroma and Okpoama communities have lamented lack of funds and equipment to recover more bodies and the goods trapped in the ill-fated boat.

There is the fear that with hundreds of bodies suspected to have still been under the water, the only source of drinking water by the communities may have been badly polluted, even as the volunteers are worried that most of the corpses may not be recovered.

A youth leader in Okpoama, Mr Seiyefa Felix told TNN in an interview that appeals had been made to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC, which operates in that axis for help, but that they have not responded to calls for assistance to enable them evacuate valuables from the boat.

Felix said fishing business in the area had to be suspended because of the incident and lamented that the people who are largely fishermen, would face severe hunger in the days ahead.

He said apart from the senator-elect, Marie Ebikake who had supported the rescue team with funds, politicians from the area were yet to assist with money for the task of recovering the bodies and their property. He said the immediate past minister of petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva had however promised some assistance.

Felix said it was becoming difficult to ascertain the exact number of passengers on the boat that was loaded beyond its carrying capacity because there was no manifest. TNN noticed that as at Monday, some bodies had started floating on the river.

He said the state government had sent a team to assess developments in the area and expressed the hope that deliberate steps would be taken to take the wreckage away and recover more bodies.

“A tugboat and barge was provided by individuals from Okoroma axis to assist in the rescue. Both Okpoama Kingdom and Okoroma clan are seriously putting efforts jointly together to rescue affected persons and properties. But it’s very challenging.

“You know it is a local boat and no manifest was taken to ascertain the number of passengers on board the boat.Very challenging and I am seriously not happy. Rescuing that boat from its position is more than an individual or a community.

“The oil firm in the area is Agip and they have done nothing.” He said even after a visit to Agip’s flow station for help, they were yet to do anything.

The Bayelsa State government has already announced that all the victims who were lucky to have been taken out alive would be treated at no cost to them. Even those who had earlier paid for their treatment have had their money refunded by the government.