Pregnant Woman, 6 Children, 4 Burial Guests Die In Benue Boat Accident

In an island settlement in North Bank area of Makurdi local government area of Benue State, a pregnant woman, six children and four burial guests jave died in a boat accident. The incident occurred on Saturday night.

An eyewitness, Tor Terna, said the victims were returning to Daudu Dawadawa community, behind the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering Barracks in the North Bank when the incident happened in the middle of the river at 7:30pm.

Terna who attributed the accident to heavy rainfall on Saturday evening said more than 30 passengers were onboard the capsized boat, adding that some of the people were rescued.

Confirming the incident, the commander of vigilante group, North Bank, Nura Umar, said, “The deceased woman was taken to a private hospital in North Bank on Saturday morning where she later died, and the relatives and sympathisers from the island community decided to take the remains to Wadata for burial.

“After the burial, they boarded a boat to cross to Daududawadawa community. At about 7pm, heavy rain and strong winds started and the boat capsized halfway into the journey.

“We have recovered four bodies so far and buried them, while divers are still searching for the remaining victims. One of the survivors had a baby strapped to her back but lost the child in the accident,” he stated.

The Benue State police command’s spokesperson,  DSP Udeme Edet, when contacted by our correspondent did not respond to calls on his mobile phone.