18-year-old undergraduate drown in River Benue

John Charles , Makurdi
An 18 -year - old boy simply identified as Shadrach on Wednesday drowned in River Benue.
According to eyewitness , the young man who was a 100- level student of the Benue State University had gone to the river at the Wadata area of Makurdi metropolis alongside his relatives to wash clothes when the incident happened .
Also a resident of the area , who gave his name as Elijah , said the deceased lived in another part of the capital city but just returned to the family house only a few days ago following the death of his grandfather on May 7 , 2020 .
“ It was while he was washing the clothes that he slipped into the river . His two relatives immediately dived into the water to rescue him, and rush him to the hospital where he later died. His body has been deposited in the mortuary, ” Elijah said.
Another neighbour , who identified herself as Hassanah , said she saw the late undergraduate within his grandfather’ s compound at about 9 .30 am.
“ The boy ( deceased) wasn’t living here, he only came to the family house following the death of his grandfather last Thursday .
“ The deceased grandfather hasn’ t even been buried before this ( death of the undergraduate ) incident occurred ,” she added.
Confirming the incident , the Police Public Relations Officer , Catherine Anene , a Deputy Superintendent of Police , said the young lad was rescued alive from the water but died later at the hospital.
“ Yes, it happened but the young man of 18 was brought out of the water alive before he died in the hospital,” Anene said.