Boat Accident in Benue Claims Four Lives, Nine Missing

The number of people who died in Saturday’s boat accident on the Buruku River in Benue State has reached four. Among the dead is a Catholic priest named Rev. Fr. Moses Tsuagh.

The Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) reported on Sunday that nine other passengers are still missing.

Tema Ager, the Information Officer of SEMA, shared these details while updating the public at the accident scene.

Ager had told our reporter on Saturday that over 200 people were on the boat. This included 138 members of the Okada riders’ association and other passengers who boarded the boat at the riverside.

He explained, “There were 32 Okada riders (motorcyclists) on board with their motorcycles, and each rider carried three people. This means that one motorcycle had four persons, including the rider.

“If you look at that, it gives us about 138. Besides this number, there were other mourners who also joined the riders in the boat. Other people waiting at the riverside also boarded. So, what one of the victims, who is a rider, said was that about 200 passengers were on board.”

At the scene on Sunday, Ager said four bodies had been recovered while nine people are still missing.

He stated, “I can speak to you now on behalf of the government because I am right at the scene of the incident in Buruku.

“The update I have now is four dead bodies recovered. Among them is Rev. Fr. Moses Tsuagh. The missing persons are nine, while the total number of motorcycles in the water is 38.

“Though the number of motorcycles belonging to Okada riders is 32, later, some other boats that crossed had six of their motorcycles sink in the water.”

The victims were reportedly coming back from a burial ceremony in Buruku. They were said to be from the nearby Gboko Local Government Area.

In response to the tragedy, the state government has suspended the Buruku crossing-point branch of the Nigeria Union of Maritime Workers.

The Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy, Dennis Iyaghigba, announced this suspension during his visit to the scene.

Iyaghigba also ordered the line operator to be suspended and called for the arrest and detention of the boat skipper involved in the accident.