Eleven people died in a boat accident in Benue State on Saturday night. Among the dead were a pregnant woman, six children, and four adults.
The tragedy struck between 7 and 8 p.m. as mourners crossed a river during heavy rainfall. They were traveling from Wadata to Daududawada, an island community in Makurdi.
Nura Umar, commander of a local vigilante group called Operation Shara, confirmed the incident by phone. He said the victims had attended a burial ceremony that day.
According to Umar, the group had taken a sick woman to a hospital in North Bank on Saturday morning. She died there, and relatives gathered for her burial at Wadata.
After the funeral rites ended, mourners decided to take the boat back home. The river route was faster than traveling by road, Umar explained.
Heavy rain and strong winds arrived around 7 p.m. that evening. The boat capsized in the middle of the river before reaching the other side.
Over 40 passengers were on board when disaster struck. Only 11 are feared dead in the mishap.
Rescue workers have recovered four bodies so far. Divers and volunteers continue searching for the remaining seven victims.
One survivor faced heartbreak during the ordeal. She had carried her baby on her back while trying to escape the sinking boat.
In the chaos, the mother lost her grip on the child. The baby swallowed water and didn't survive, Umar said.
The mother did everything she could to rescue her infant. Sadly, it was too late by the time she got help.
Residents of Daududawada remain in deep mourning. The community has lost multiple family members in a single tragedy.
Recovery operations were still underway when this report was filed. Divers planned to continue searching throughout the night.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, had not responded to requests for comment. Calls and text messages went unanswered.
