At least six students returning to school are feared dead after the boat they were travelling in capsized on the Buruku River in Buruku Local Government Area, Benue State, on Monday night.
A local source told journalists on Tuesday that the wooden boat was heavily loaded with passengers, which may have contributed to the accident.
One eyewitness, a maritime worker who asked to remain anonymous, said the passengers delayed their journey to allow politicians returning from a church thanksgiving service in Logo to cross first.
He explained that attempts to stop passengers from boarding for the governor and his entourage forced the students to travel at night.
“Nightfall caught up with the remaining passengers, and the boat eventually departed with a large number of people onboard.
“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,” he said.
Another witness confirmed the account and attributed the incident to gross overloading, noting the boat carried over 45 passengers alongside vehicles.
Pastor Jethro Moor, a relative of one of the victims, said the students were from Gbeji in Ukum Local Government Area and were returning to Gboko for school.
He added that two vehicles carrying food items, along with more than 20 passengers, were on the boat at the time.
“The weight was too much for the boat. With the ongoing bridge construction, the navigable path has become narrow, and the boat could not remain stable under such load,” Moor said.
The Chairman of Buruku Local Government Area, Raymond Zege Aondoakura, confirmed the incident on Tuesday, stating that security agencies were handling the situation and rescue teams were still combing the river.
Asked about the casualty figures, Aondoakura said, “Once the police conclude their investigation, you can call me,” and declined further comment.
The Benue State Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Dennis Iyaghigba, described the tragedy as a stark reminder of the dangers of unsafe and unregulated river transport.
Through his media aide, Lubem Gena, the commissioner said a full-scale investigation had been launched to determine the immediate and underlying causes of the accident, including possible safety violations. He extended condolences to the families of the victims and the Buruku community.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Benue State Command, DSP Udeme Edet, said the command had not yet received a formal report on the incident.
Buruku River is one of several rivers in the state where boats are used to cross to other local government areas, including Logo and parts of Ukum, due to the absence of a bridge. Successive administrations, including military governments, have promised to construct a bridge across the river to facilitate safer movement, even for people from Taraba State.
