11 Feared Dead as Boat Carrying Burial Guests Capsizes in Benue
No fewer than 11 persons, including a pregnant woman and six children, are feared dead after a boat conveying mourners from a burial ceremony capsized on the River Benue in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State.
The tragic incident occurred on Saturday evening as the passengers were returning to Daududawadawa, an island community located behind the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering Barracks in the North Bank area of Makurdi.
A resident of the community, who identified himself simply as Daniel, told journalists on Sunday that the boat, carrying more than 40 passengers, overturned in the middle of the river between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. during a heavy downpour accompanied by strong winds.
Confirming the incident, the Commander of Operation Shara (Sweep), a local vigilante group in the North Bank area, Nura Umar, said the victims had attended the burial of a woman from their community.
According to Umar, the deceased woman was initially taken to a private hospital in North Bank on Saturday morning, where she later died. Her relatives and sympathisers subsequently transported her remains to Wadata for burial.
“After the burial, they boarded a boat to return to Daududawadawa community. While crossing the river, heavy rain and strong winds set in, causing the boat to capsize midway through the journey,” Umar said.
He disclosed that although more than 40 people were on board, 11 persons were feared dead.
“We have recovered four bodies so far and buried them, while divers and local rescue teams continue searching for the remaining victims,” he added.
Umar further revealed that one of the survivors had a baby strapped to her back at the time of the accident but tragically lost the child in the incident.
Efforts to obtain official confirmation from the Benue State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the command’s spokesperson, DSP Udeme Edet, said she had yet to receive a report on the incident.
Similarly, the Chairman of Makurdi Local Government Area, Joseph Keffi, could not be reached for comment as calls to his phone went unanswered.
The latest tragedy comes barely six months after the Benue State Government announced stricter safety measures aimed at reducing the recurring incidence of boat accidents across the state’s waterways.
In January, the state government, through the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security and Internal Affairs, Joseph Har, launched a comprehensive enforcement campaign that made the use of life jackets mandatory for passengers and boat operators, alongside other safety regulations.
Despite these measures, boat mishaps continue to claim lives in riverine communities across the state, raising concerns over compliance with safety guidelines and enforcement mechanisms.