11 Burial Guests Feared Dead in Benue Boat Accident

At least 11 people, including a pregnant woman and six children, are feared dead after a boat carrying mourners returning from a burial ceremony capsized on the River Benue in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State.

The tragic incident occurred on Saturday evening as passengers were returning to Daududawadawa, an island community located behind the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering Barracks in the North Bank area of Makurdi.

A local resident, Daniel, who spoke with journalists on Sunday, said the boat was carrying about 40 passengers when it overturned in the middle of the river during a heavy downpour accompanied by strong winds.

According to him, the victims had attended the burial of a woman from their community and were on their way home when disaster struck.

Confirming the incident, the Commander of Operation Shara (Sweep), a local vigilante group in the North Bank area, Nura Umar, explained that the deceased woman had died earlier on Saturday after being taken to a private hospital.

He said relatives and sympathisers transported her remains to Wadata for burial and later boarded the boat for the return journey to their island settlement.

“The rain started heavily with strong winds at about 7pm, and the boat capsized halfway through the trip,” Umar said.

He disclosed that more than 40 people were on board at the time of the accident, adding that 11 passengers were feared dead.

“So far, four bodies have been recovered and buried, while local divers and rescue teams are continuing the search for the remaining victims,” he stated.

Umar further revealed that one of the survivors had a baby strapped to her back but lost the child when the boat overturned.

The incident has thrown the Daududawadawa community into mourning as families await news of missing relatives.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, said she had not yet received an official report on the accident.

Efforts to reach the Chairman of Makurdi Local Government Area, Joseph Keffi, were unsuccessful.

The latest tragedy comes barely six months after the Benue State Government announced stricter safety measures on waterways, including mandatory use of life jackets and enhanced monitoring of boat operations, following a series of fatal boat accidents across the state.