A police officer and a woman, identified as Mrs Victoria Abetnigo, have died in two separate waterway accidents in Bayelsa State.
The incidents occurred on Thursday and Saturday in Brass and Sagbama local government areas.
The police officer died after a passenger boat travelling from Yenagoa to Akassa capsized along the Abedigbene waterways in Brass on Thursday.
The boat reportedly carried eight passengers, seven of whom were rescued by Nigerian Navy personnel, local divers, and members of the Abedigbene fishing community.
Those rescued included the Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Dr Ebiere Jones, and an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The second incident occurred at about 5:20 am on Saturday along the shoreline of Angalabiri Community in Sagbama LGA.
In a statement on Saturday night, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Musa Mohammed, said preliminary findings indicated that a tanker belonging to Sterling Global Oil Ltd hit some canoes while navigating close to the shoreline.
He said the collision destroyed the canoes, leaving Abetnigo, who was aboard one of them, seriously injured.
According to him, she was rushed to Ebedeibiri General Hospital, where a doctor later confirmed her dead.
Her remains have been deposited at Ofoni Mortuary, while investigation is ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The police spokesman said the Commissioner of Police, Ajao Saka Adewale, expressed sadness over the incidents and condoled with the families, colleagues and loved ones of the deceased.
The commissioner also commended the Nigerian Navy’s Forward Operating Base (FOB) FORMOSO, local divers, maritime union workers and members of the fishing community for their rescue efforts.
He urged boat and commercial vessel operators to observe maritime safety regulations, maintain safe distances from shorelines and canoe routes, and avoid reckless navigation.
He also advised passengers to wear life jackets throughout their journeys and urged waterway users to report emergencies promptly.
