By Favour Bibaikefie

A terrible maritime disasters unfolded earlier today, Sunday, July 20, 2025, when the KM Barcelona VA, a passenger ferry travelling across the North Sulawesi coast of Indonesia, caught fire at sea, forcing over 280 passengers and crew to leap into the open waters near Talise Island in a desperate bid to survive.

The fire reportedly broke out in the late morning hours, around 11:00 a.m. local time, as the ferry sailed en route from the Port of Talaud Islands to Manado, passing close to Talise Islan, a small community located in the Sangihe Islands region of North Sulawesi Province.

Though the exact cause of the fire is still under official investigation by Indonesian maritime authorities, eyewitness accounts suggest the fire originated from the engine room and quickly spread through the upper decks of the vessel, engulfing parts of the ship in thick, black smoke. No explodes were heard, but flames moved swiftly, overwhelming the onboard fire safety systems.

See attached video: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1WNyUhC27E/

Several passengers reported hearing alarms and seeing smoke rise from below deck shortly before the crew instructed them to wear life jackets and abandon ship.

The KM Barcelona VA is a traditional Indonesian wooden-hull passenger vessel designed to carry passengers and light cargo across island routes. The ship was licensed to carry 300 passengers, and according to the Manado Ports Authority, there were 284 people on board, including passengers, crew, and local traders.

Built to operate in the calm coastal waters of the archipelago, KM Barcelona VA was a key transport link for many remote island communities.

Immediately after the distress calls were received, a coordinated rescue operation was launched by the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), the Indonesian Navy, and local fishing vessels. Within hours, rescue boats from KM Barcelona III, KM Cantika Lestari 9F, and KM Venecian reached the scene.

Out of the 284 persons on board, 278 were successfully rescued from the sea, some clinging to life jackets, barrels, or wreckage. Survivors were taken to Bitung and Manado ports, where emergency medical teams were stationed.

Despite the swift response, at least five fatalities were confirmed as of Sunday night. Among the dead were two women, including a pregnant woman, and a child, according to the Indonesian Red Cross. Their identities were being withheld pending family notification.

Some survivors suffered from hypothermia, shock, and minor injuries. All were being treated at hospitals in Manado.

A spokesperson for Basarnas, Abdul Malik, confirmed:

“We have received 278 people so far. Unfortunately, five people were found deceased. Search operations will continue to ensure no one is left behind.”

The Indonesian Ministry of Transportation has suspended operations of similar ferry liners pending safety audits and has vowed to carry out a full investigation.

Footages taken by survivors went viral on social media, showing panicked passengers jumping overboard as fire and smoke engulfed the rear deck. In one emotional clip, a young father was seen clutching his child while swimming to safety, guided by the lights os a vessel.

One survivor, Abdul Rahmad Agu, livestreamed his escape:

“We had no chance but to jump. The smoke was thick, and people were crying and screaming. Thank God the rescue team arrived quickly.”

Maritime analysts point to long-standing concerns about safety compliance and aging vessels in Indonesia’s inter-island transport system. Ferry disasters remain common due to overloading, poor maintenance, and weak enforcement of safety regulations.

In 2018, more than 160 people died when ferry sank in Lake Toba. While recent reforms have improved oversight, many vessels, especially wooden-hull ferries like KM Barcelona VA, remain vulnerable to and structural failure.

The Indonesian government has ordered a comprehensive inspection of all operating ferries in the region and has promised support for the families of the deceased.

As the nation mourns the lives lost in this latest maritime tragedy, survivors, families, and citizens across Indonesia are once again calling for urgent reforms to protect those who rely on the seas for their livelihood and connection to the rest of the country.

May the souls of the departed rest in peace.

Stay with IduwiniVoice for further updates as investigations unfold.

Tension are rising in Niger Delta as more twists and turns continue to plague the delineation of Warri Federal Constituency.  In a recent turn of events, a pro-Ijaw group has condemned the award of Pipeline Repair/Surveillance Contracts to the Olu of Itsekiri in Ijaw Communities.

Prominent Ijaw group under the auspices of Ijaw People’s Development Initiative has called on the federal government and the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL to terminate pipeline repair contracts of SECTIONAL REPLACEMENT OF 14.4KM WEAK SECTIONS OF TRANS-FORCADOS

PIPELINE OPERATIONS which was awarded to the PIPELINE INFRASTRUCTURE NIGERIA LIMITED, owned by Olu of Itsekiri, in Ijaw communities in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State in immediate effect.

According to the group, Olu of Itsekiri and its kinsmen who were calling to ostracize Tantita Security services Nigeria limited operations in Itsekiri communities doesn’t deserve to carry out pipeline repair contracts in the Ijaw communities such as Odidi, Batan, Ekeremor, Kantu and others.

This was contained in a statement signed by the group’s national president Comrade Ozobo Austin in which a copy of it was sent to newsmen on Monday.

The group urged the host communities involved in the Olu pipeline repair in Trans-Forcados pipeline to reject and throw Olu of Itsekiri company PINL out from their communities.

IPDI warned that Olu PINL firms should be restricted to Itsekiris areas, and that the Olu repair contract in Ijaw Communities should be revoked and re-awarded to the Ijaw pipeline companies.

They called on the Managing Director of NNPCL, Bayo Ojulari for the interest of peace in Niger Delta should terminate the PIPELINE INFRASTRUCTURE NIGERIA LIMITED pipeline repair contracts in Ijaw communities in immediate effect.

IPDI cautioned that Ijaw youth might take action to stop the repair operations in the Trans-Forcados pipeline if the federal government and NNPCL refused to implement their demands.

By Favour Bibaikefie

Former President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has reportedly passed away at the age of 82. His family allegedly announced in a statement earlier today that he died in a clinic in London. The announcement, attributed to his spokesperaon Garba Dhe, read:

“The family of former president has announced the passing on of the former president, Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, this afternoon in a clinic in London. May Allah accept him in Aljannatul Firdaus, Amin.” 

This statement was reported by Premium Times and the Channels Television.

Following weeks of intensive medical care abroad, Buhari’s condition had reportedly deteriorated, prompting extended hospitalisation in London since April 2025. Multiple reputable sources, including Premium Times, PM News Nigeria, and Channels Television, confirmed that what began as a routine checkup evolved into serious treatment for an undisclosed illness.

Health Journey & Medical History

* Buhari travelled to the UK for annual medical checks in April 2025. According to Premium Times, he “became ill there, but…is responding well to treatment” at the time. SaharaReporters confirmed back then.

* His 2025 UK stay revived public scrutiny over his frequent foreign medical trips during his presidency (2015 – 2023)

Notably:

* Feburary & June 2016 (ear infection)

* Multiple trips in 2021 and 2022 – all to London Premium Times Nigeria

* Critics linked these visits to concerns about transparency and the state of Nigeria’s healthcare and labelled his prolonged absences with nicknames like “Baba Go Slow.” Reuters reported.

Legacy and Leadership

Buhari served as Nigeria’s democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023, having previously ruled as a military head of state (1983-1985). He made history as the first opposition leader to unseat a sitting president when he defeated former President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 election. His administration promised a strong anti-corruption drive but apparently failed to nail the coffin of corruption. He also promised to curb insecurity, but grappled with not only widespread but persistent violent killings and insecurity spreading across the country-including Boko Haram, ISWAP, herdsmen, and bandits; having only plagued the North-East during the Jonathan administration.

The economy, which was the third leg of Buhari’s administration, also wasn’t as Nigeria experienced economic recession twice within his 8 years rule. This was exacerbated by his government clash with the Niger Delta over the attempted cancellation of important projects and programmes like the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Presidential Amnesty Programme, among others. His deployment of the Nigerian Army to arrest High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo, who was declared wanted by the EFCC, that led to attacks on oil installations in retaliation from the self-styled Niger Delta Avengers. This meltdown forced his government to rely heavily on foreign and local borrowing and earning him seriously criticism.

As of press time, the Nigerian government and the Buhari’s family are yet to release full funeral arrangements or detailed cause of death, as the nation awaits such statements soon, suffice to say that Buhari being a Muslim devote may likely be buried within 24 hours of his last breath.

Our thoughts are with his family.