Benue varsity student, 24, drowns in River Benue

The corpse of a student of Benue State University (BSU) Makurdi, Mr. Abel Agaba, 24, was recovered on Friday morning from River Benue after he reportedly drowned when he went swimming.

According to a close family friend, the deceased, a 200-level student of the Chemistry Department of the institution had gone missing Thursday night when he went to the river to swim after complaining of intense heat.

The source who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the deceased, who lived with family members around Awe Street in the Wurukum area of Makurdi town had Thursday night in company of friends finished watching a football match at a viewing centre in the neighbourhood, at about 11:45pm, and proceeded to the nearby River to swim.

He said, “We learnt that after watching the European football matches that finished at about 11.45pm he said he was hot and wanted to swim in River Benue to cool his body.

“Though those with him advised him against going to the River as it was already too late, he insisted and went since it was the usual practice around the area for people to go swimming at night whenever there is intense heat as we have now.

“He went alone and nobody bothered to check on him till Friday morning when a fisherman in the neighbourhood went to the River to check his fishing net for fishes and discovered Agaba’s lifeless body attached to his fishing net.

“The man raised the alarm and people went and recovered his body which was identified by his family members who took his remains to the mortuary.

“The death of the young man has thrown Awe Street neighbourhood into mourning because he was a gentle man who gave his time to his studies and never had issues with anyone.”

Chief Superintendent, CSP, Catherine Anene, Police Public Relations Officer for the State Command, said she was yet to receive any information on the incident.