The Ohimegye of Opanda-Umaisha Kingdom in Toto LGA of Nasarawa State, His Royal Highness (HRH) Alhaji Usman Abdullahi, has said eight corpses among those that got downed have been recovered.
Daily Trust reported that scores of passengers, mostly traders, got drowned after their canoe capsized on the eastern river Benue while returning from Ggabana village market in Kogi on Sunday night.
Alhaji Abdullahi, who confirmed the recovery of the seven corpses while speaking to our reporter through the phone on Tuesday, said one corpse was still missing.
He said the rescue operation was carried out by fishermen from his kingdom.
He said the corpses were buried on Monday evening in Umaisha.
“Although, only four of the seven corpses were from Umaisha, the other three, including one that has yet to be recovered, are from Kogi State,” he said.
He added, “You know my chiefdom, which is Umaisha in Toto Local Government Area of the state, shares border with Kogi State, the River Benue,” he added.
The monarch, however, said most of the victims in the boat were able to escape, saying only eight people drowned.
“You know the figure of the Sunday boat incident was exaggerated by some people, as only eight people got drowned while other passengers escaped,” he said.
