No fewer than four women drowned in a river following a boat mishap
in Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State at the weekend.
It was gathered that the deceased and four other women, who went to a
farm across the river in Cross River State, were returning to Afikpo
when their boat capsized in Oziza River due to a windstorm.
According to an eyewitness account, the four other women were rescued
by fishermen, who were in the river when the incident occurred. The
source stated that one of the four persons that died was rescued alive
but died on the way to hospital.
He said only two corpses were recovered, while two other corpses had not been seen at press time.
Checks by Daily Sun revealed that two speed boats hired by the
villagers to search for the corpses of the women went as far as Itu in
Cross River State but their efforts were futile.
Secretary to Oziza Traditional Council of Elders, Chief Okpani Egwu,
confirmed the incident but warned that those who did not know how to
swim should not go near the river.
Speaking in the same vein, the Public Relations Officer of Afikpo
North Local Government Area, Mr. Emmanuel Irem, urged farmers in Cross
River State to always use speed boats and avoid overloading.
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