The Benue State Emergency Management Agency (Benue-SEMA) has deployed local divers to search for passengers still missing after a boat accident on the River Katsina-Ala in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State.
The search operation is being conducted amid difficult conditions at the affected section of the river, where submerged motorcycles and other debris are reportedly making rescue efforts more challenging.
Tema Ager, Head of the Information Unit of Benue-SEMA, confirmed the development in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makurdi on Monday.
125 passengers rescued
Ager said 125 people had so far been rescued, while more than nine others were still reported missing as the search continued.
He stressed, however, that the figures remained provisional because authorities were still trying to establish the exact number of people who were aboard the boat when the accident occurred.
According to him, preliminary information suggested that approximately 138 people may have been involved in the incident.
“Rescue teams are working methodically to locate the missing persons and establish the circumstances surrounding the mishap,” Ager said.
Authorities trying to establish passenger numbers
The emergency agency is consulting survivors, relatives of those missing and community leaders as part of efforts to determine exactly how many people were travelling on the boat.
Ager said the exercise had become necessary because some passengers reportedly boarded the vessel at different points along the riverbank, making it difficult to establish a definitive passenger manifest.
He added that some information about the number of passengers came from people gathered at the scene, including mourners and community members.
Boat was also carrying motorcycles
The incident involved a wooden boat reportedly transporting both passengers and motorcycles across the River Katsina-Ala.
According to the SEMA official, 38 motorcycles were believed to have been on the boat.
He said preliminary accounts suggested that approximately three passengers were associated with each motorcycle, although authorities were still working to verify the information.
The presence of motorcycles and other submerged objects has also complicated the work of divers searching the river.
Search operation continues
SEMA said the rescue operation would continue until authorities establish the whereabouts of everyone believed to have been aboard the boat.
The agency is also investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident and gathering information from survivors and other witnesses.
The final casualty figure cannot yet be established because the passenger count remains under reconciliation.
SEMA urges passengers to wear life jackets
Ager used the incident to renew calls for greater compliance with water-safety measures.
He specifically urged passengers using the Buruku crossing and other waterways to wear life jackets throughout boat journeys.
He said life jackets had previously been made available to river users, but some passengers continued to board boats without using them.
According to him, proper use of life jackets could significantly reduce the risk of fatalities when boat accidents occur.
