Benue boat mishap: 17 bodies recovered, 23 survived, search still continues

Posted by admin Benue, Headlines, State News Monday, December 30th, 2013

From ROSE EJEMBI Makurdi

Benue State Police Command said yesterday that 23 persons survived the boat tragedy which happened on Boxing Day boat at River Buruku in Buruku Local Government Area of the state. State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Daniel Ezeala, who disclosed this in a telephone interview with newsmen said search was still ongoing to recover more bodies, adding that investigation was also on to ascertain the actual number of persons on board the ill-fated boat as well as the cause of the incident.
Daily Sun gathered that some of the dead bodies were deposited at the general hospitals in Buruku and Ugba, Logo local government areas while the survivors were also receiving medical treatment at the hospitals.
At the two hospitals, relations of the deceased’s victims were said to have been trooping in to identify the corpses of their family members for burial while the survivors who were initially admitted at the hospitals have been discharged and released to their families.
Chairman of Buruku Local Government Area Jonathan Abya who spoke with newsmen on phone expressed shock over the incident and warned youths not to engage in activities that could jeopardize their lives.
Last week, precisely on Boxing Day, over 50 fun seekers had drowned at River Buruku while crossing the river at about 9p.m after attending a picnic on the other side of the river.

-Sunwp_posts