SEVERAL FEARED MISSING AS BOAT CARRYING OVER 70 MOURNERS, 30 MOTORCYCLES CAPSIZES IN BENUE
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By: Muftau Fatimo
Several people are feared missing after a wooden boat carrying more than 70 mourners and over 30 motorcycles capsized while crossing the River Katsina-Ala in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State.
The incident reportedly occurred around 11am on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at the Buruku river crossing point.
The passengers, many of whom were said to be from Mbayon in Gboko Local Government Area, were returning from a burial ceremony on the opposite side of the river when the boat overturned.
Several occupants were reportedly rescued, while search and rescue teams continued efforts to locate those still unaccounted for as of Saturday afternoon.
An eyewitness said the boat was heavily overloaded with passengers and motorcycles before its engine reportedly developed a fault during the journey.
The eyewitness said the passengers were travelling from the Logo Local Government Area side of the river when the incident occurred.
“Many persons have been rescued, but as we speak, I cannot tell you the actual number of persons that have not been seen or rescued from the river because the search is still ongoing. But many persons have not been seen as we speak,” the eyewitness said.
The Chairman of Buruku Local Government Area, Raymond Zege, confirmed the incident, saying the passengers were mourners from Gboko who had travelled across the river to attend a burial ceremony.
Zege said the boat was carrying more than 70 people when its engine stopped working during the return journey, causing panic among the passengers.
According to him, the boat subsequently encountered a heavy wave and capsized before a rescue boat could reach the passengers.
The chairman said more than 60 people had been rescued, while the exact number of missing persons remained unclear.
“At the time we speak, we do not know the number of persons missing. So far we have not seen about six persons, but we have rescued over 60. Search and rescue operations are ongoing,” Zege said.
He urged passengers using the waterway to comply with maritime safety regulations, particularly the use of life jackets.
Zege disclosed that the local government had provided life jackets for commuters using the route but noted that some passengers sometimes refused to wear them.
He also urged commuters to cooperate with maritime officials during enforcement operations, stressing that the safety measures were intended to protect lives.
Meanwhile, the Benue State Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy, Denis Iyaghigba, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Saturday.
Iyaghigba said the ministry had received preliminary information about the boat mishap and appealed to relatives of the passengers and members of the public to remain calm while rescue operations continued.
He said he had directed boat operators and their union downstream to mobilise and support the ongoing search and rescue operation.
The commissioner added that further details would be communicated as the operation progressed.
As of the time of filing this report, rescue efforts were still ongoing, while authorities had yet to provide a final account of the total number of passengers aboard the boat or the confirmed number of those still missing.
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