BREAKING: Benue Boat Mishap: More Than 30 Passengers Dead – SEMA

The Benue State Emergency Management Agency (Benue-SEMA) has confirmed the death of over thirty passengers of the Saturday ill fated wooden boat mishap at Buruku crossing point in River Katsina-Ala, Buruku Local Government area of the state.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP in a telephone on Sunday while returning from the scene of the incident, the Head of Information Unit of Benue-SEMA, Tema Ager, said so far four dead bodies of the occupants including a priest of Anglican Church were recovered.

SEMA said over two hundred passengers including mourners were inside the boat when it capsized.

According to SEMA, “ Four people were confirmed dead and nine are still missing those nine people we still know that they are already dead but they are still not uncovered. So those ones also will consider that they are already dead, but they are looking for their dead bodies. Yes, inclusive among the dead is Reverend Pastor Moses. The Pastor is among them has died. They said the people on board were more than 200 people, but the people who can categorically account for them are the people who went for the burial, the mourners, because those who carried them on the bike can account for them”

“ But those who were on shore and accompanied them to cross over to the other side are unaccounted for. So it’s likely that those ones are also among the dead, but they are unaccounted for. So, more than 30 persons are dead in the water. As we went there, five motorcycles were removed from the water, out of the 38 motorcycles that sunk” SEMA spokesperson said.

Recall that, a boat reportedly carrying about seventy mourners and others from neighbouring Gboko Local Government area crossing Buruku capsized as several occupants reportedly missing.

The mourners who had crossed the River Buruku to attend burial ceremony were retuning back to their locations when the incident occurred.

LEADERSHIP earlier reported that the Benue State Government had suspended the activities of the Nigeria Union of Maritime Workers, (NUMW) River Buruku branch with immediate effect following the incident.

The Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy, Denis Iyaghigba, gave the order after paying an on-the-spot assessment visit to the scene of the accident on Saturday.

In a statement issued by the Head, Media and Public Orientation, Office of the Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy, Lubem Gena, said the Commissioner also ordered the suspension of the line operator and the arrest and detention of the boat skipper involved in the incident.

According to the statement, the Ministry has since activated its search and rescue processes and is working with local divers to intensify the search and rescue.

The commissioner said an inter-ministerial committee to investigate and establish the immediate, remote and underlying causes of the mishap.

Iyaghigba also ordered strict compliance with the mandatory use of life jackets at all river crossing points across the state.

The statement said the owner of the abandoned barge believed to have contributed to the accident was given a seven-day ultimatum to evacuate it from the crossing point or risk its confiscation by the government.

The Commissioner said he is also working closely in collaboration with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) during the week for further interrogation of the circumstances surrounding the incident and to strengthen safety measures at the state’s waterways.

The government said further details would be made available but at the moment, investigations and rescue efforts continues.