At least six students returning to school were reported to have lost their lives after a boat capsized on the Buruku River in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State on Monday night.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the victims were among passengers travelling in a wooden boat that overturned midway through its journey, allegedly due to overloading.
A local source told journalists on Tuesday that the boat was heavily laden with passengers, a factor believed to have contributed to the tragedy. An eyewitness, a maritime worker at the scene who requested anonymity, said passengers had earlier delayed their crossing to allow politicians returning from a church thanksgiving service in Logo to be ferried first.
According to him, the delay forced the remaining passengers, including the students, to travel late at night.
“Nightfall caught up with the remaining passengers, and the boat eventually departed with a large number of people onboard,” he said. “Midway into the journey, the boat capsized due to overloading. Most of the passengers were rescued, but six students drowned. Five bodies have been recovered so far, while search efforts are ongoing for one missing victim.”
Another witness corroborated the account, attributing the accident to gross overloading. He said the boat was carrying more than 45 passengers alongside vehicles.
A relative of one of the victims, Pastor Jethro Moor, disclosed that the deceased were students from Gbeji in Ukum Local Government Area who were travelling back to Gboko to resume school. He added that the boat was conveying two vehicles loaded with food items and over 20 passengers at the time of the incident.
“The weight was too much for the boat,” Moor said. “With the ongoing bridge construction, the navigable path has become narrow, and the boat could not remain stable under such a load.”
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Buruku Local Government Area, Raymond Zege Aondoakura, said security agencies had taken over the situation and rescue teams were still searching the river.
Asked to confirm the number of casualties, Aondoakura declined further comment, saying, “Once the police conclude the investigation, you can call me.”
Meanwhile, the Benue State Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy, Dennis Iyaghigba, expressed deep concern over the tragedy, describing it as a stark reminder of the dangers associated with unsafe and unregulated inland water transportation.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Lubem Gena, the commissioner said a full investigation had been launched to determine both the immediate and remote causes of the incident, including possible violations of safety regulations. He also extended the state government’s condolences to the families of the victims and the Buruku community.
The spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command, Udeme Edet, said the command had yet to receive a formal report on the incident.
The Buruku River serves as a key crossing point to several local government areas, including Logo and parts of Ukum, as well as neighbouring Taraba State. Successive administrations have pledged to construct a bridge across the river to ease movement and reduce reliance on boats, but the project has yet to be completed.
