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From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
Not fewer than six students have lost their lives after an overloaded boat they were traveling in capsized in Benue River, Benue State.
Our correspondent gathered that the boat capsized at the Buruku crossing point in Buruku Local Government (LG), Benue State, on Sunday night when the victims were returning to school.
It was said that the students and other passengers were being ferried across the River Benue from the Logo LG axis to Buruku when the accident occured.
Witnesses said the wooden boat was heavily loaded with vehicles with full loads of good and passengers during the night journey causing the boat to overturn.
A maritime worker at the crossing point, said the passengers had delayed their movement to allow politicians returning from a church thanksgiving service in Logo to be ferried first.
According to him, nightfall caught up with the remaining passengers, and the boat eventually departed with a large number of people onboard.
He said, “Midway into the journey, the boat capsized due to overloading. Most of the passengers were rescued, but six students drowned. Five bodies have been recovered so far, while search efforts are ongoing for one missing victim.”
Another witness blamed the mishap on gross overloading, noting that the boat was carrying over 45 passengers alongside vehicles saying it was too much.
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A relative of one of the victims, Pastor Jethro Moor, said the deceased were students from Gbeji,Ukum LG, who were travelling back to school in Gboko LG.
He explained that two vehicles loaded with food items, as well as more than 20 passengers, were carried on the boat at the time of the accident.
“The weight was too much for the boat. With the ongoing bridge construction, the navigable path has become narrow, and the boat could not remain stable under such load,” Moor said.
Chairman of Buruku LG, Raymond Aondoakura, said security agencies were handling the situation and rescue teams were still combing the river for other victims. The chairman promised that further details would be provided once the police conclude their investigations.
The Benue State Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy, Dennis Iyaghigba, expressed deep concern over the tragedy, describing it as a stark reminder of the dangers of unsafe and unregulated river transportation.
In a statement by his media aide, Lubem Gena, the commissioner said a full-scale investigation had been launched to determine the immediate and remote cause of the incident, including possible violations of safety regulations.
He expressed government’s condolences to the families of the victims and the Buruku community.
Benue state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Udeme Edet, promised to get back to their reporter when she gets the information on the incident.
