River Benue consumes pregnant woman, six children, four others as boat capsizes

At least 11 mourners, including a pregnant woman and six children, are feared dead after a boat capsized on the River Benue in Makurdi Local Government Area late Saturday night.

The boat, conveying over 40 passengers, overturned midway while returning to Daudawadawa community from a burial ceremony in Wadata, a suburb of Makurdi town.

Sources said the incident occurred between 7pm and 8pm amid torrential rain and strong winds that swept across parts of the Benue capital.

The victims were returning to Daudawadawa, an island settlement behind the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering (NASME), Barracks in North Bank, after burying a woman from their community.

Nura Umar, Commander of Operation Shara, a local vigilance group in North Bank, confirmed the incident on Sunday.

“What happened was that we took a sick woman from the community behind NASME to a private hospital in North Bank yesterday (Sunday).morning, where she later died.

“Her relatives came and joined us for the burial at Wadata. After the burial, they boarded a boat to cross back to the Daudawadawa community.

“At about 7pm, heavy rain and strong winds started, and the boat capsized halfway into the journey. There were over 40 passengers aboard the boat, but 11 are feared dead.

“We have recovered four bodies so far and buried them, while divers are still searching for the remaining victims”, he said.

Umar said among those feared dead were a pregnant woman and six children from the small riverine community.

He recounted a heartbreaking incident involving one of the survivors who lost her baby in the mishap.

“One of the women survived, but the baby she had strapped to her back was swept away when the boat capsized,” he said.

The accident has thrown the Daudawadawa community into mourning, with residents anxiously awaiting news of those still missing as search and rescue efforts continue.

When contacted, Udeme Edet, the Police Public Relations Officer, Benue State Police Command, said she was yet to receive details of the incident.

As of press time, local divers and community volunteers were continuing the search for the missing passengers.

Families of the victims gathered along the riverbank, hoping for updates on their loved ones.