Five feared dead, nine rescued in Taraba boat mishap

A boat mishap has claimed the life of a pastor and four other persons in Taraba State.

Confirming the accident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abdullahi Usman, said that the boat was conveying fourteen passengers when it capsized.

The passengers, who according to him boarded the boat from Mareniwo, in Ardo-Kola local government area of the State, were traveling to a village in Karim-Lamido local government when the incident occurred.

As of the time of filing this report, marines, according to him, have been dispatched to the river to search for the remains of the victims.

He said “we learnt that out of the fourteen passengers on board, nine were rescued and the whereabouts of the remaining five persons are unknown but we have dispatched our marines there.”

Though none of the remains have been recovered, he was optimistic that the efforts of the marines will yield results.

The pastor, whose name was given as Rev. Shedrack Bako, was said to be returning back to his place of primary assignment.

When contacted, the state chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria ( CAN), Isaiah J. Magaji, confirmed the incident.