According to reports, two teenagers have lost their lives after drowning in Mkar Hills Dam and Kontien stream in Gboko, the headquarters of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State.
It was learnt that a 12-year-old boy, Kumater Kachii of Trinity Primary School’s street, Akaajime, Gboko, went to fetch firewood at Mkar Hill on Saturday, 22, June 2024 with his siblings.
From fetching firewood, they proceeded to swim in a dam at the same Mkar hill where he (Kumater) drowned and died.
The deceased’s mother, Mrs Veronica Sesugh, said that with the assistance of farmers and Mkar youths, the body of Kumater was recovered and taken to his family’s residence at Akaajime for a brief stopover and proceeded to his home town, branch, Kunav, Vandekya Local Government area for burial.
Meanwhile, another teenager, identified as Aondosoo Ansambe, 13, of Jerusalem Street, Akaajime, Gboko, drowned in the Kontien stream around Akaajime-Mkar-Gboko road when he went swimming with his friends on Sunday morning, 23rd June.
According to an eyewitnesses, Mrs Mary Ioryange and Avalumun Hembaor, the incident occurred when the parents of the deceased were still in the church for morning mass, but with the aid of Akaajime Youths and passers, the lifeless body of Aondosoo was recovered and handed over to the family.
Late Aondosoo was a primary pupil of Vaxtee Nursery and primary school, Akaajime Gboko. He will be buried at Mayongo, Kunav, Vandekya Local Government area of Benue State.
Some stakeholders of the Akaajime residence, Elder Tyover Akaajime, Hon. Smith Akom Takema and the Youth leader of the residence, Butty Shima Ukor, called on the security and government to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the frequent drowning of children in the area.
The stakeholders appealed to parents and residents of Akaajime to caution their children against swimming and other unnecessary forms of social outings.
