By Jimmy Fatunbi
Tragedy struck Ogoloma community in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday as a 16-year-old boy drowned while swimming with friends in a river.
The victim, identified as Miebaka Koko, had reportedly gone swimming with three friends at Derock Waterside in Ogoloma when he was swept away by a strong current.
Eyewitnesses said the boy’s friends rushed out of the water to seek help after noticing that he was struggling.
Speaking on the incident, the Sector Commander of the Civilian Joint Task Force in Okrika LGA, Igwe Godswill, blamed the tragedy on the increased depth of the river resulting from dredging activities in the area.
According to him, extensive dredging along waterfronts in Okrika has made many sections of the river dangerously deep.
“Companies have dredged almost all the waterfront areas in Okrika Local Government Area. The dredging has made the river much deeper. Just a step away from the riverbank can be dangerously deep,” he said.
Recounting the incident, Godswill explained that the boys entered the water at about 1:30 p.m., but shortly afterward, people nearby noticed signs of distress.
“At about 1:30 p.m., four boys left the community and went to Derock Waterside in Ogoloma to swim. Shortly after they entered the water, we saw them running out while a woman raised an alarm for help. We rushed to the scene and attempted to rescue the boy. At one point, only his hands were visible above the water,” he said.
He added that the strong current prevented rescuers from reaching the teenager in time.
“The current was very strong, and the man who attempted to rescue him could not get to him. Unfortunately, the boy drowned. It is very painful,” he lamented.
Godswill further noted that recovering bodies from rivers in the area is often challenging and may take several days.
“If you are familiar with this part of Rivers State, you will know that when someone drowns in our rivers, it often takes two or three days before the body is recovered,” he added.
He urged parents to warn their children against swimming in unsafe locations and to monitor their movements more closely.
“I advise parents to caution their children about where they swim. Most of our rivers have been dredged and are now very dangerous. Parents should also keep track of where their children go,” he said.
The task force commander disclosed that security personnel, including a police officer and soldiers from Sector 3, witnessed the incident.
As of the time of filing this report, the victim’s body had not been recovered.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, ASP Blessing Agabe, confirmed that the police were aware of the incident, although no formal complaint had been lodged by the family.
“The family has not made any report to the police. We encourage them to do so to enable us commence a proper investigation and determine the circumstances surrounding the incident,” Agabe stated.
