September 23, (THEWILL) – A local boat conveying forty traders from Guma local government area, to Buruku market, on Tuesday capsized, killing 14 traders, while 26 others have been rescued.
The chairman of Guma local Government Council, Mr Michael Uba, who confirmed the incident in a telephone chat with our correspondent, said the boat capsized at Ikyaave crossing point on that fateful Tuesday morning.
However, in a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer for Benue state command, SP Sewuese Anene, said combined efforts of the police and fishermen in the area, led to the rescue of 26 persons, who were taken to a hospital for treatment.
“Six corpses have been recovered, while a search for the remaining eight persons is ongoing.”
According to the statement, the Commissioner of Police Benue State Command, CP Wale Abass, commiserates with families and friends of the dead, while advising travellers who choose water transport to employ maximum safety measures while travelling on water, especially now that the volume of water is very high.