Eight die in boat mishap in Benue

A boat conveying Ibi local government council of Taraba State residents capsized on Sunday.

The incident occurred in Anyeshi village near Benue State.

The mishap comes barely two weeks after a similar incident in the Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of the state, where over 50 passengers lost their lives.

It would be recalled that a locally made boat conveying traders from Mayoranewo market in Ardo-Kola local government council of Taraba to Karim-Lamido council recently capsized in Binneri village in the state.

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Confirming the accident, the Head of Local Government Administration, HOLGA, in Ibi council, Isa Mohammed, said over eight persons lost their lives.

Isa, who argued that the accident did not happen in Taraba but in neighbouring Benue, admitted that all the passengers on board were from the Ibi council.

The HOLGA, who could not ascertain the number of passengers on board at the time of the accident, warned the people of the council to desist from embarking on night voyages on waterways.

The passengers were said to have been heading to a nearby market in Anyeshi village around 4:30 p.m.

Some Ibi residents who spoke to newsmen admitted that most of the victims are from the council.

“Though the incident took place in the nearby Benue State, I must confess to you that almost all the passengers are indigenes of Ibi local government council,” one of them said.