From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
About 20 people are reported to have died on River Benue when a boat conveying them capsized around Agatu Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State.
Our correspondent gathered that the incident occurred on Saturday, December 14, 2024.
Sources said it was a market day in Ocholonya, Agatu LGA, and the victims had gone there to trade. They were returning to Doma in Nasarawa State when the wooden boat they were travelling in capsized, drowning all of them.
A native of Ocholonya, who identified himself simply as Adanyi, said that over 20 people, mostly women and children, were in the wooden boat when the incident occurred.
According to him, “Yesterday (Saturday) was Ocholonya market, and this market is within Agatu LGA, but the people, mostly women and children, were returning to their base in Odenyi in Nasarawa State when the boat they were travelling in capsized, and they all died.”
Chairman of Agatu LGA, Melvin Oche, confirmed the incident to newsmen on the phone on Sunday.
He said the victims were from Nasarawa State.
He said, “It’s true that there was a boat mishap yesterday, and the people came to Ocholonya market. Ocholonya is in Agatu Local Government.
“What I learnt was that when they were returning to their base in Apochi and Odenyi communities in Doma, Nasarawa State, the boat they were travelling in capsized.
“I’m trying to get my colleague from Nasarawa State to see how we can go there to visit the families and console them.
“The conflicting reports are that sources said 20 people have died, but no recovery of the corpses to my knowledge.
“Though locals confirmed that local divers have recovered corpses, as chairman, I must be able to speak authoritatively. I want to establish contact with divers to know the actual number of bodies recovered, but their lines were not connecting.
“But somebody giving me the information said that 20 corpses have been recovered, and the person said that he saw those corpses and that some people are still missing.”
Oche said he had informed the commander of the Nigerian Navy in the LGA to help in the rescue mission.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benue State Police Command, SP Catherine Anene, could not be reached at the time of filing this report.