- Pregnant Woman, Six Children Among 11 Feared Killed in Benue Boat Accident
- The victims were reportedly returning home after attending the burial of a woman from their community
- Umar revealed that one of the survivors lost her baby during the incident
A tragic boat accident has claimed the lives of at least 11 people, including a pregnant woman and six children, in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the incident occurred on Saturday evening between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. as the victims were travelling by boat from Wadata to Daududawada community amid a heavy downpour and strong winds.
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The victims were reportedly returning home after attending the burial of a woman from their community when the boat capsized midway through the journey.
Confirming the incident, the commander of the local vigilante group, Operation Shara (Sweep), Nura Umar, said the deceased included a pregnant woman, six children and four other adults.
According to Umar, the victims were residents of Daududawada, an island settlement located behind the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering (NASME) in the North Bank area of Makurdi.
He explained that community members had earlier travelled to Wadata for the burial of a woman who died after receiving treatment at a private hospital in North Bank.
“What happened was that we took a sick woman from the community to a private hospital in North Bank on Saturday morning, where she later died,” Umar said.
Following the burial, relatives and other mourners boarded a boat to return to their community, choosing the water route because it was shorter than travelling by road.
However, the journey turned deadly when heavy rainfall and strong winds struck the area.
“At about 7 p.m., heavy rain accompanied by strong winds started, causing the boat to capsize midway through the journey,” Umar explained.
He disclosed that more than 40 passengers were on board at the time of the accident.
“So far, 11 people are feared dead. Four bodies have been recovered and buried, while divers are still searching for the remaining seven victims,” he added.
Umar also revealed that one of the survivors lost her baby during the incident.
Search and rescue efforts are ongoing as local divers continue to comb the river for the missing victims.
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