Three days after a boat accident in the Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State, the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) and the police in Benue shared conflicting figures of missing and dead victims.

On the one hand, NEMA said that the authorities were yet to recover 23 people from the water on Monday. On the other hand, the police claimed 20 bodies had been recovered.

The duty of rescuing victims of water-related accidents is a joint attempt of NEMA, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigeria Police Force Marine Unit and the State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMA).

On Monday, NEMA stated that their North Central Zonal Office received the report on the missing victims.

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Catherine Anene, Benue Police Public Relations Officer, said on Sunday that 20 bodies had been found from those who died in the accident.

She also said that 11 persons were rescued.

The boat accident victims, about 76 passengers, were returning from Ocholonya Market in Agatu to their base in Apochi and Odenyi in Doma Local Government of Nasarawa State.

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The boat struck a submerged tree, throwing all passengers into the water.

According to NEMA’s report, 49 persons were rescued while one managed to swim to safety. Three bodies were recovered but 23 people were still yet to be found.

EQ contacted Lekan Faniyi, the Public Relations Officer for the Maritime Police Command and Deputy Superintendent of Police, but he did not answer EQ’s calls.
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