…“The boat was a wooden one and was carrying both passengers and cars to Buruku when it suddenly sank.
BENUE, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | Boat accident at the Buruku crossing in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State has claimed the lives of at least six people, mostly students returning to school.
Several others remain missing after the wooden boat conveying passengers across the river capsized late Monday night.
Sources said the incident occurred at about 11:00 p.m. as the boat was heading towards the Buruku side of the river. The vessel, which was reportedly transporting both passengers and vehicles, overturned midway into the journey.
An eyewitness attributed the mishap to overloading, describing the tragedy as preventable.
“The boat was a wooden one and was carrying both passengers and cars to Buruku when it suddenly sank. There were more than 45 people on board, including vehicles. It was clearly overloaded,” the witness said.
He added that while about 35 passengers were rescued, six deaths, mainly students have so far been confirmed, with several others still unaccounted for. Most of the victims were said to be students returning to schools in Gboko and neighbouring communities.
Describing the incident as unfortunate, the witness lamented what he called persistent negligence on the waterways, noting that similar tragedies occur almost every year without lasting safety measures being put in place.
Reacting to the incident, the Benue State Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Denis Iyaghigba, said he received the news with deep sorrow, describing it as a painful reminder of the risks associated with unsafe and poorly regulated inland water transport.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Lubem Gena, the commissioner expressed condolences to the families of the victims and the Buruku community, noting that preliminary reports indicated the mishap occurred during routine river transportation.
Iyaghigba disclosed that a comprehensive investigation had been launched to determine both the immediate and underlying causes of the accident. He warned that recklessness and disregard for safety standards would no longer be tolerated, assuring that enforcement would be intensified through stricter vessel inspections, operator licensing, passenger safety education, and enhanced monitoring of river transport activities across the state.
Efforts to reach the Chairman of Buruku Local Government Area, Mr. Raymond Zege, and the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Udeme Edet, were unsuccessful as of press time.
