Five feared dead, nine rescued as boat capsizes in Taraba

Five people were on Tuesday, feared dead while nine were rescued after a boat capsized in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State.

The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abdullahi Usman, who confirmed the incident, said the boat was conveying 14 passengers from Mareniwo, in Ardo-Kola Local Government Area of the state to a village in Karim-Lamido when the incident occurred, claiming the five lives including that of a pastor.

Usman who confirmed the incident on phone to Ripples Nigeria, said the state Commissioner of Police has already dispatched the marine arm of the police command for a search and rescue operation.

READ ALSO: Flood destroys over 300 buildings in Taraba

“We learnt that out of the fourteen passengers on board, nine were rescued and the whereabouts of the remaining five persons are unknown but the CP has dispatched our marines there.

“Though none of the remains have been recovered, we are optimistic that the efforts of the marines will yield results.

“From what I was told, one of the dead passengers was a pastor, whose name was given as Rev. Shedrack Bako. He was said to be returning back to his place of primary assignment when the incident happened.

“The state CAN chairman, Rev. Isaiah J. Magaji, also confirmed that the pastor was in the boat,” Usman said.

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