By Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
No fewer than 11 persons are feared dead following a boat mishap on the River Benue in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State after a heavy rainstorm capsized a boat conveying mourners back to their community.
The incident occurred on Saturday evening between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. as the passengers were returning to Daududawadawa community, an island settlement located behind the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering (NASME) Barracks in the North Bank area of Makurdi.
Sources said the boat, which was carrying more than 40 passengers, was conveying residents who had attended the burial of a woman from their community at Wadata when it overturned midway through the journey due to heavy rainfall and strong winds.
Among those feared dead were a pregnant woman and six children.
Speaking to journalists, the Commander of Operation Shara (Sweep), a local vigilante group in North Bank, Mallam Nura Umar, said the deceased woman had earlier been taken to a private hospital in North Bank on Saturday morning, where she later died.
He explained that relatives and sympathisers from Daududawadawa community had gathered in Wadata for her burial before embarking on the return trip that ended in tragedy.
According to him, “After the burial, they boarded a boat to cross over to Daududawadawa community. At about 7 p.m., heavy rain and strong winds started, and the boat capsized halfway into the journey.
“There were over 40 passengers on board. Eleven persons are feared dead. Four bodies have so far been recovered and buried, while divers are continuing the search for the remaining victims.”
Umar further disclosed that one of the survivors had a baby strapped to her back but lost the child in the accident.
Efforts to obtain official confirmation from the Benue State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the command’s spokesperson, DSP Udeme Edet, said she was not aware of the incident at the time of filing this report.
Search and rescue operations were still ongoing as of Sunday morning.
