Five feared dead in Taraba boat mishap

The boat was conveying 14 passengers and goods when It capsized.

Five persons are feared dead in a boat mishap on Tuesday in Mareniyo, Ardo-Kola Local government area of Taraba State, the police have said.

 One of the victims is a clergy with the Christian Reformed Church in Nations (CRCN), Shedrack Bako, according to a member of the church.

 The boat, with 14 persons onboard, left Mareniyo on Tuesday for a village in Karim Lamido Local Government Area of the state when it capsized in the middle of the water.

 A source said the boat was conveying passengers and goods when It capsized.

 The source could not ascertain the cause of the accident but assumed that water wave was hard on the boat, which he said is the common cause of such disasters.

 The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Taraba State, Abdullahi Usman, confirmed the incident.

 He said nine of the 14 passengers were rescued but the five others were feared dead as they were yet to be found.

Mr Usman said local fishermen and a marine official were still searching for the missing people.

 Although CRCN was yet to speak on the involvement of its pastor in the accident, a member of the church confirmed it on his Facebook page.

 “With a heavy heart, I wish to announce the untimely death of Rev. Shedrack Bako of Christian Reformed Church of Nigeria who was drowned in a river. A pastor formerly with the Christian Reform Church, Nigeria (CRC-N) in Asha in Kurmi Local Government Council of Taraba State,” the church member wrote.