No fewer than 20 people were reported dead after a boat capsized on the River Benue near Ocholonya in Agatu Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State on Saturday.
The victims, predominantly women and children, were returning to Doma in Nasarawa State after attending the Ocholonya market in Agatu. The wooden boat reportedly capsized mid-journey, drowning all onboard.
A native of Ocholonya, who identified himself as Adanyi, recounted, “Yesterday (Saturday) was Ocholonya market day. The victims, mostly women and children, were returning to their base in Odenyi, Nasarawa State, when their boat capsized, leaving no survivors.”
The Chairman of Agatu LGA, Melvin James, confirmed the incident on Sunday. He stated, “The victims were from Apochi and Odenyi communities in Doma, Nasarawa State. I’m trying to liaise with my counterpart in Nasarawa to visit and console the affected families.”
James added that while conflicting reports suggest about 20 fatalities, he could not yet confirm the exact number. “Locals said divers have recovered corpses, but I want authoritative confirmation. Someone told me 20 bodies were recovered, though some people are still missing.”
The chairman disclosed that the Nigerian Navy in the LGA had been informed to assist in the rescue efforts. Attempts to contact the state Police Command spokesperson, Catherine Anene, were unsuccessful as her phone line was unreachable
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