A teenage student, Japheth Amine, drowned on Thursday in the River Nomnor Mke, located in the Gboko West area of Benue State, after sneaking out of school during study hours.
Witnesses said Japheth left school with some of his friends to swim in the river. Unfortunately, while swimming, he was swept away by strong currents and could not be saved.
His lifeless body was later found around 1:45 p.m. by some residents who had gone to the riverbank to do laundry. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.
The incident has thrown the Gboko West community into mourning, with many residents shocked by the sudden loss of the young boy.
Community elders and local leaders have called on parents and school authorities to increase supervision and educate students on the dangers of visiting rivers and other unsafe places, especially during school hours.
Japheth’s death is a sad reminder of the need for safety awareness among schoolchildren and stricter school monitoring to prevent similar tragedies.