A tragic boat accident in an island settlement within the North Bank area of Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State has claimed the lives of 11 people, including a pregnant woman, six children and four mourners returning from a burial ceremony.
The incident occurred on Saturday evening as the victims were travelling back to Daudu Dawadawa community, located behind the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering Barracks in North Bank.
An eyewitness, Tor Terna, said the boat capsized at about 7:30 p.m. in the middle of the river while carrying more than 30 passengers.
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According to him, the accident was triggered by a heavy downpour accompanied by strong winds that swept across the area during the journey. He added that some passengers were rescued, while others were swept away by the river.
Confirming the incident, the North Bank Vigilante Commander, Nura Umar, explained that the journey began after the burial of a pregnant woman who had died earlier that day at a private hospital in North Bank.
“The deceased woman was taken to a private hospital in North Bank on Saturday morning where she later died. Her relatives and sympathisers from the island community transported her remains to Wadata for burial,” Umar said.
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“After the burial, they boarded a boat to return to Daudu Dawadawa community. At about 7 p.m., heavy rain and strong winds began, causing the boat to capsize midway through the journey.”
Umar disclosed that four bodies had initially been recovered and buried, while search-and-rescue efforts continued for the remaining victims.
He further revealed that one of the survivors had a baby strapped to her back during the incident but tragically lost the child when the boat overturned.
The tragedy has thrown the affected community into mourning, with residents lamenting the recurring dangers associated with water transportation during the rainy season.
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Efforts to obtain a response from the Benue State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the command’s spokesperson, DSP Udeme Edet, did not respond to calls seeking confirmation of the incident.
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