A tragic boat mishap in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State has claimed the lives of at least 11 people, including a pregnant woman and six children, during a heavy downpour on Saturday evening. The incident occurred between 7 pm and 8 pm as a group of mourners were returning from a burial ceremony in Wadata to their home community of Daududawada, located behind the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering (NASME) Barracks in Makurdi’s North Bank area. The victims were traveling by boat across the river, choosing the water route for its shorter distance compared to the road journey.
Commander Nura Umar of Operation Shara (Sweep), a local vigilante group in North Bank, confirmed the details of the disaster. He explained that the group had taken a sick woman from Daududawada to a private hospital in North Bank earlier that day, where she later died. Her relatives from the island community joined the burial in Wadata, and after the ceremony, they boarded a boat to return home. The journey turned deadly when heavy rain and strong winds hit around 7 pm, causing the boat to capsize midway.
Umar stated that over 40 people were on board at the time of the accident. While rescue efforts are ongoing, four bodies have already been recovered and buried. Divers continue to search for the remaining seven missing individuals. Among the survivors, one woman lost her baby during the incident, adding to the tragedy. The community is in mourning, with families grieving the sudden loss of loved ones, including young children and a pregnant woman.
The incident has drawn attention to the dangers of river travel during adverse weather conditions, especially in areas where alternative transportation options are limited. Many residents in the North Bank area rely on boats to access communities like Daududawada, which are otherwise difficult to reach by road. Safety measures for such crossings remain inadequate, raising concerns about the vulnerability of local populations during storms.
As recovery operations continue, authorities are expected to investigate the cause of the accident and assess whether proper safety protocols were followed. The tragedy has sparked calls for improved emergency response systems and better infrastructure to prevent future disasters. This heartbreaking event underscores the urgent need for safer transportation options in flood-prone regions of Benue State.
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