Residents have been thrown into confusion and fear as they search for a two-year-old boy, Godwin Kumfa, who is feared to have drowned in the Meme River in the Phase 11 area of Lokoja, Kogi State.
The search began after concerned neighbours alerted the boy’s father, Mamtip Kumfa, a local security guard, prompting a swift effort to locate the missing child.
According to reports, the boy was with his mother, Lovina Kumfa, who was gathering sand near the riverbank when she briefly left him unattended.
Eyewitnesses said that upon Lovina’s return, she discovered the boy was missing and raised the alarm, leaving neighbours puzzled about the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
Sources added that one of the boy’s shoes was later found near the Arigbede area, approximately 15 kilometres downstream, heightening fears that the toddler had been swept away by the river’s current.
The distraught mother, overwhelmed with grief, pleaded for divine intervention, saying, “I left him just for a while… Please God, help me find my child.”
Despite the efforts of local volunteers combing the river and surrounding areas, the boy’s body had not been recovered as of the time of this report.
Community members noted that this is not the first incident of its kind along the river. In 2023, another child, Goodluck Friday, reportedly drowned in the same river, prompting renewed calls for safety measures in the area.
While local efforts to locate the child continue, the Kogi State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
