The Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and the Benue State Government have begun moves to institutionalise collaboration on transport safety and capacity development as part of efforts to ensure the safe growth of the state’s maritime and blue economy
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The commitment emerged during a meeting on Friday in Abuja between the Director-General of the NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., and the Benue State Commissioner for Maritime and Blue Economy, Denis Ter Iyaghigba.
TheFact Daily gathered that the discussions were built on an earlier visit by the NSIB leadership to Makurdi after a fatal boat accident on the River Benue that claimed 11 lives.
During that visit, the Bureau conducted safety assessments, met Governor Hyacinth Alia, consulted community leaders and boat operators, and pledged continued support for improving safety on the state’s inland waterways.
Addressing the meeting, Captain Badeh said the Bureau was determined to move beyond investigating accidents to helping prevent them through sustained partnerships.
“Our recent visit to Benue was born out of tragedy, but it also opened the door to meaningful engagement with the state government. Today’s meeting demonstrates that our relationship is evolving beyond accident response into a strategic partnership built on prevention, technical cooperation and institutional capacity development,” he said.
According to a statement by the NSIB’s Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Mrs Funke Adebayo-Arowojobe, Badeh said the Bureau remains committed to sharing expertise and strengthening institutions to reduce transport accidents across the country.
“The NSIB’s mandate extends beyond investigating accidents. We are equally committed to preventing future occurrences by sharing knowledge, building institutional capacity and promoting global safety standards. We welcome every opportunity to work with states that are committed to developing safer transportation systems,” Badeh stated.
The Benue delegation included Mr. Charles Ikyaave, Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary; Dr. Harris Dera, Special Adviser (Technical) to the Commissioner; and Mr. Lubem Gena, Head of Media, Publicity and Orientation.
Speaking on behalf of the state government, Commissioner Iyaghigba said the partnership would help Benue develop its inland waterways while ensuring the safety of commuters and operators.
“Captain Badeh’s visit to Benue after the recent boat accident demonstrated the Bureau’s professionalism and compassion. Our visit today is a continuation of that engagement. We are here to build a partnership that will equip our institutions with the technical knowledge, safety culture and operational capacity required to unlock the enormous potential of Benue’s waterways while protecting lives,” he said.
He added that the state government would collaborate closely with the NSIB in formulating safety policies, training personnel and adopting international best practices for the maritime sector.
As part of the visit, the Benue officials toured the NSIB’s accident investigation laboratories and specialised technical facilities, where they were briefed on the Bureau’s investigative processes and safety analysis capabilities.
