The Nation Newspaper

Tag: drown

  • Corps member drowns while taking selfie

    A member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), who recently completed his service has drowned in Nembe River, Nembe Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.
    It was gathered that the tragic incident occurred at the weekend when the deceased, who hails from  Osun State went to the Ogbolomabiri jetty to take pictures of the waterside as part of his service fun memories.
    A source from the community, Igbogi Aprebo, said Taofeek was preparing to go home after completing a skill acquisition training on tailoring, which he started for self-development, before his death,
    The source said the deceased collected his vocational certificate on tailoring two days before the unfortunate incident.
    “This corps member passed out among the recent set this year. He bought crayfish from my neighbour in preparation to return home joyfully. Unfortunately, he accompanied his colleagues to a water front (Jetty).
    “He set himself at the edge of the Jetty to take a photograph possibly with the aim of uploading on Facebook or to show his people when he return home on how he had safely ended his service in riverine area.
    “He fell into the river as the steps were slippery. Indigenes rushed to the scene having heard the deceased shouting for help. They searched for him for more than 30 minutes before he was finally found.
    “They applied all the efforts to revive him but he gave up the ghost. Indeed, it is a painful exit. The people of Opu-Nembe sympathize with the corps members of Nembe Local Government Area and his bereaved families,” our source stated

  • Two corps members drown in Nasarawa

    The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Nasarawa State has said two members drowned in a river at Assakio community, Lafia Local Government.

    The Coordinator, Hajiya Zainab Isah, who addressed reporters yesterday in Lafia, said Oguntola Babatunde and Danjuma Salihu went to the river in the evening of October 8 to swim, but drowned.

    She said an Assistant Commissioner of Police informed the service about the incident.

    “It is very sad, but I know God will grant them eternal rest and grant all of us, including their families, the fortitude to bear the loss. I can only say that we are bereaved, but God knows better,” Isah said.

    She advised other corps members to be careful and obey the rules of their host communities.

    “What I heard from a source was that farmers drowned in that river years ago.

    “When corps members enter a community, they should ask questions and watch their steps,” the coordinator said.

    She added that the bodies had been deposited at Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia mortuary.

  • Two FUTA students drown taking selfies

    Two students of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) reportedly drowned yesterday while taking selfie pictures on a canoe inside a river in the town.

    Olabiyi Emmanuel and Olokun Babatunde were 300 level students of the university. Olabiyi was in the department of Agric and Environmental Engineering while Olokun was of the

    department of Project Management Technology.

    President, Students Union Government (SUG), Adeyinka Olasehinde, who confirmed the incident, said it had thrown the university into mourning.

    Olasehinde explained that four students went to a river close to the university and took pictures on a canoe stationed at the river.

    He added that the canoe capsized while the students were taking the pictures.

    Olasehinde hinted that two of the students narrowly escaped death because they knew how to swim while two others were unfortunate.

    He said the deceased were at the venue of their entrepreneurship training at the laboratory of the department of fishery and aquaculture behind Great Hall in Obakekere area of Akure.

    The incident occurred after the dead students had finished their training for the day.

  • Two UNILAG postgraduate students ‘drown’ in Elegushi beach

    Two UNILAG postgraduate students ‘drown’ in Elegushi beach

    Two postgraduate students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) have allegedly drowned at the Elegushi Beach in Lagos.

    According to their friend, Ginika Okolo, who took to social media to mourn them, Funmi 24, and Shola, 27, were swept away by high tide on Sunday.

    The duo, who graduated from Covenant University were about completing their Master in International Law and Diplomacy at the UNILAG.

    Okolo blamed the absence of life guards and other safety measures for their death.

    She said: “Some of us have been awake and have cried our hearts out. I shut the day because of the death of these two. Oh life, what a waste!!!

    “Our tears have turned to anger because their lives were carelessly taken away by Elegushi heavy tide. Is there not a rescue team? Don’t people pay to enter the beach? Funmi, 24 and Shola, 27, had bright future.

    “Graduated in International Relations from Covenant University (2007-2011) and on the verge of completing their Masters from UNILAG in International Law and Diplomacy. This is so sad but we must bring awareness because their lives are not worthless to carelessly die like this.

    “If you went to Covenant University, Bells Secondary School, Home Science Secondary School, University of Lagos and you know their families, loved ones or you have loved ones who have been victims, you need to join these campaigns.

    “We need wave alarm system, emergency medical unit, patrol unit, good rescue team in all Nigerian beaches.

    “Funmi and Shola were wonderful young girls who were taken away carelessly. R.I.P my loves you will always remain in the sands of time.”

    Police spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent (SP), confirmed the tragic incident.

    She said the victims’ relatives reported the case at Elegushi Police Station yesterday after they went to the hospital to claim the bodies but were disallowed unless there was a police report.

  • Five migrants drown off Turkish coast

    No fewer than five migrants, including a toddler, drowned when their boat capsized off Turkey’s Aegean coast, Turkish media reported on Thursday.

    The migrants aboard the boat included Afghan and Iranian nationals.

    It said that they were trying to reach the Greek island of Lesbos.

    The report said that the boat, which departed from Ayvacik in Turkey’s western province of Canakkale, sank 500 meters from the Turkish coast due to bad weather.

    Preliminary reports said that the Turkish coast guard rescued nine migrants but two more remained missing.

    The capsizing came one day after the Turkish and Greek prime ministers voiced their determination to prevent illegal traffickers and migration in the Aegean Sea.

    Earlier this week, the EU and Turkey held a special summit in Brussels, where Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu asked for 3 billion euros (3.3 billion dollars) in fresh aid.

    It noted that it would be in return for Turkey’s help in stemming the flow of refugees into Europe and accepting those who went to Europe back to Turkey.

    However, over 80,000 refugees were rescued by Turkish coast guards in 2015 alone, while nearly 4,000 died on their way to Greek islands via Turkey.

  • 12 -year- old boy drowns in Ebonyi River

    12 -year- old boy drowns in Ebonyi River

    A twelve year-old boy in Odeligbo village, Amagu Community Ikwo South in Ikwo local government area of Ebonyi State, Chibunna Nkpuke has reportedly drowned in a river located at the back of his compound.

    Chibunna was said to have left the house with his brothers to fetch water in the river when the incident occurred.

    He reportedly entered the river to swim after fetching water and was unable to come out.

    His younger brother immediately ran home and informed the family of the development but before people could arrive the river, the boy was already dead.

    Sources said the late Chibunna belonged to river goddess and that his parents were warned to appease the goddess else he will die in river one day.

    The sources added that the parents could not meet up with the requirements to appease the goddess, hence the boy’s death.

    But a member of the community who simply gave his name as Romanus refuted the claim, describing it as mere superstition which should not be believed by Christians.

    The late Chibunna is the first son or his family.

  • Boy drowns in Ebonyi

    Boy drowns in Ebonyi

    Tragedy struck in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State Wednesday when the body of a fifteen year old school boy simply identified as Tony who drowned at a dam near the International Market Abakaliki where he went to swim with his school mates was recovered.

    His body was recovered by security guards and a diver.

    It took the combined effort of divers and security guards in the market to recover the body of the boy three days after unsuccessful attempts.

    Tony, a JSS 3 student lived with his foster parents at 19 Nwoji Avenue, off Ogbaga road Abakaliki.

    He was said to have left his school in company of other students who were asked to go home for not paying school fees.

    It was on their way home that the students entered the International market to swim in the dam which was constructed by the company handling the market project.

    The disappearance of the boy shortly after jumping into the water led to his mates alerting security guards in the area who contacted the police.

    Narrating the incident, the foster parent, Mrs. Silvia Ede explained that she was informed about the tragedy by one of her relatives.

    She said the victim had no reason to leave school at the time he did as she had provided him with all the necessary requirements.

    Another family member of the victim, Mrs. Josephine Eze said that it was after policemen and Fire fighters drafted to the scene failed to recover the body that they resorted to divers.

    Expressing their feelings over the incident, some residents of the area called on the state government to close the dam or put a fence round it to forestall a recurrence.

    The Diver, Mallam Mohammed Belo however said recovering the body would not have been possible if not for some rituals which he carried out.

    Police spokesman in the state, Mr. George Okafor said the Command was aware of the incident.

    As at the time of filing this report the body of the young boy was still lying near the water side while sympathizers throng the area.

  • Two drown fleeing from arrest

    Two youths from Obunagha community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State drowned yesterday when they attempted to evade arrest, after they were caught smoking cannabis sativa (Indian hemp).

    One of the deceased, whose body was recovered by divers, was identified as 32-year-old Meipor Ebinimias, an indigene of Obunagha and father of three kids.

    His body was discovered on Saturday evening by a search party from the community.

    But it was learnt that the remains of the other victim, who was referred to as a visitor to the community and an Igbo man, had not been found.

    An indigene of the community, who simply identified himself as Preye, said the drowned youths were found smoking the prohibited substance in one of the classrooms of the community’s primary school.

    He said: “Youths usually gather at the community’s primary school to smoke hard drugs. Sometimes, the chiefs of the community alert the police on the activities of those youths and accuse them of using the community for violent crimes in the state capital.

    “On Friday evening, some youths gathered, as usual. On sighting the patrol vehicle of the State Special Security outfit, Operation Door Akpoor, they panicked and jumped into the river behind the school. Unknown to them, that part of the river was shallow and filled with dangerous woods.”