The Benue state police command said they have recovered six dead bodies with eight others still missing after a boat conveying 40 marketers capsized in the Benue river
The chairman of Guma local government area, Mr Mike Uba, who spoke to journalists on phone, said the passengers were being ferried from Guma to Buruku Local Government Area of the state when the boat capsized.
Uba said the incident happened on Tuesday afternoon, at Ikyave crossing point on their way to Buruku market.
He expressed fear that 14 persons may have died.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Wale Abass, said 26 persons have been rescued so far and taken to the hospital for treatment.
He also said six corpses have been recovered while search is ongoing to find the other eight.
A statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Catherine Anene, said “On 20/9/2022 at 1300hrs a boat conveying forty person’s from Guma LGA to Buruku LGA for business capsized in the river around Fada village, Guma LGA.
“Combine efforts of the police and fishermen in the area led to the rescue of twenty six (26) persons who were taken to hospital for treatment, six (6) corpses have been recovered while a search for the remaining eight (8) person’s is on going.”
While he commiserated with families and friends of the dead, CP Abass advised travellers who choose water transport to employ maximum safety measures while traveling on water especially now that the volume of water is very high.
