11 people are feared dead as the journey home from the funeral ended in disaster

At least 11 people, including a pregnant woman and six children, are feared to have lost their lives after a boat carrying mourners capsized on the Benue River in Makurdi Local Government Area of ​​Benue State.

The accident occurred on Saturday evening as the passengers were returning home from a funeral, according to residents of the affected community.

A local resident, Daniel, told journalists by telephone on Sunday that the victims were on their way back to Daududawadawa, an island community located behind the Nigerian Army Military Engineering School Barracks in the North Bank area of ​​Makurdi.

He explained that the boat carrying more than 40 passengers experienced bad weather conditions in the middle of the river.

The commander of the local vigilante force, Operation Shara (Sapu), Nura Umar, confirmed the incident and said the passengers were attending the funeral of a woman from her community in Wadata.

“The deceased woman was taken to a private hospital in North Bank on Saturday morning where she later died, and relatives and well-wishers from the island community decided to take her body to Wadata for burial.

“After the burial, they boarded a boat to cross back to the Daududawadawa community. At around 19.00, heavy rain and strong winds started and the boat capsized mid-way.

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“There were more than 40 passengers on the ship, but 11 people are feared dead. So far we have found four bodies and buried them, while divers are still looking for other victims.”

Umar added that one of the survivors during the incident was tying a baby to his back, but the child was swept away when the boat capsized.

As of Sunday, search and recovery efforts were still ongoing.

When contacted, Benue State Police Spokesperson, DSP Udeme Edet, said he had not received an official report regarding the incident.

Efforts to contact Makurdi Local Government Chairman, Joseph Keffi, were unsuccessful as calls to his phone went unanswered.

The tragedy comes just months after the Benue State Government announced plans to strengthen safety regulations in the state’s waters following a series of fatal boat accidents.

In January, the government, through the Governor’s Special Adviser on Security and Home Affairs, Joseph Har, introduced measures aimed at improving water transport safety, including the mandatory use of life jackets by passengers and boat operators.

Residents say this latest incident underscores the urgent need for stricter enforcement of safety measures in riverside communities in the state.