A National Youth Service Corps member drowned at a beach in Bayelsa State over the weekend. Ajetunmobi Sunday Dayo died while swimming with fellow corps members at Okumbiribeleu Beach in Akassa.
The corps members had travelled from their lodge in Tobukiri for a picnic on Saturday. Dayo went into the water alongside his colleagues but soon disappeared beneath the surface.
When his friends noticed he was missing, they immediately raised the alarm. Local divers at the beach launched a search and rescue operation but found nothing.
His body washed ashore on Monday morning. The discovery came two days after he vanished in the water.
Officials from the NYSC Bayelsa office performed burial rites before laying him to rest in Yenagoa. Dayo's parents approved the arrangements, according to reports.
Before the tragic incident, Dayo was posted to Community Secondary School in Kongho, Akassa. He had been serving there as a corps member.
Mrs Yvonne Halliday-Urie, the NYSC public relations officer in Bayelsa, confirmed the death. "The information is true and sad," she told reporters.
"He was buried yesterday in Yenagoa."
Police spokesman DSP Musa Mohammed also acknowledged the incident. He said investigators are working to determine exactly what caused the drowning.
Akassa and surrounding communities in Brass local government are known for dangerous water conditions. Deep waters and strong ocean currents characterize the area where the Atlantic flows through.
The region boasts beautiful beaches and natural attractions. However, poor road infrastructure means the area remains largely isolated from Yenagoa and other parts of the state.
