Three young men have been reportedly drowned in River Buruku, in Buruku Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue State.
The victims were identified as Chiater Achir aged 18 of Akaajime – Gboko, Aondoso Iorliam aged 20 of Mbalagh, Buruku, Aondogu Gbir aged 30 from Yandev North, Gboko local government area of the state.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Benue Command disclosed this in a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Corps, Ejelikwu Michael, and made available to journalists in Makurdi.
The statement said the youths drowned when they went to the river for picnic to celebrate the festive season.
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According to the statement, “On Friday 24th December, 2021, at about 1020hrs, the Command got credible Intelligence about the Illegal gathering of youths in hundreds of thousands at the River Buruku for what they termed as Picnic and Carnival.
“The Benue State Government and Tiv Traditional Council have at different intervals banned this Carnival owing to its negative vices, however, youths still go ahead with the Carnival.
“The Command on the strength of the Intelligence deployed men to the location on the 25th December, 2021, in collaboration with sister agencies to maintain law and order and if possible stop the Carnival from holding but the numbers of the youths overwhelmed the numbered of Security Officials.
“However, on Sunday 26th December, 2021, there were unsubstantiated reports of missing persons, which were confirmed on Monday 27th December, 2021 after three dead bodies were recovered by a search team of divers at about 1000 hrs,” the statement said.