At least six students have been confirmed dead, while several others remain missing following a boat capsizing at Buruku Crossing in Buruku Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State.
The incident occurred late Monday night when a wooden boat, carrying passengers and vehicles, sank while en route to the Buruku side of the river.
Eyewitnesses attributed the tragedy to excessive loading, noting that several passengers remain unaccounted for. According to the witness, about 35 passengers were rescued alive, while six deaths have so far been confirmed.
“The boat was not designed to carry that number of people alongside vehicles. There were more than 45 passengers on board, and the weight was simply too much,” the eyewitness told correspondents.
“The six who died were students heading back to schools in Gboko and nearby towns. It is heartbreaking because this could have been avoided,” he added.
“This is not the first time. Every year, similar accidents happen, promises are made, but little changes. People continue to die because safety rules are ignored,” he lamented.
Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy, Denis Iyaghigba, said he received news of the tragedy with deep distress, noting that it underscored the dangers of unregulated river transportation.
In a statement released through his media aide, Lubem Gena, the commissioner expressed condolences to the bereaved families and the Buruku community.
Iyaghigba noted that preliminary findings suggest the mishap occurred during routine river transit. He added that the state government had ordered a comprehensive investigation to establish both immediate and underlying causes of the accident.
“The probe will examine possible safety violations, operational negligence, and other contributing factors,” he said.
The commissioner confirmed that rescue and recovery operations had been intensified in collaboration with relevant agencies.
“Our priority is to account for every passenger. Anyone found responsible will face appropriate sanctions after a transparent investigation,” he stated.
