WARRI – The Nigeria Maritime University (NMU), Okerenkoko, in Warri South-West council area of Delta state, was at the weekend thrown into a state of mourning as one one of its students, simply identified as Precious and a caterer attached to the school, were reported to have drowned in the Warri River during a boat mishap.
The incident was said to have occurred Friday morning, when the victims, as well as other passengers, including students, were traveling from the university community to the oil city.
NIGERIAN OBSERVER learnt that the students were said to have boarded the private boat against school policy, having covered transport fares in their school fees payments.
One of the survivors whose identity could not be immediately known, revealed that some passengers did not wear lifejackets and did not know how to swim.
The source added that the lifeless bodies of the deceased duo were later recovered by local divers.
The deceased student, an Ijaw indigene, was said to have been buried by his family on Friday evening, while the remains of the caterer was deposited at the Central Hospital, Warri.
It was further gathered that the boat driver has been arrested by operatives of the Marine Police.
“They boarded a private boat against the school rule that students and staff should only make use of school owned boats and any other provided by management to ferry students to Warri.
“It was on their way going that the boat capsized. Unfortunately, one of our students and caterer drowned in the process.
“We don’t know exactly what happened but the boat driver is already answering questions from police. The school has never recorded a case of boat mishap since we commenced academic activities through our boats”, a school official who preferred anonymity said.
When contacted, the Delta Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Bright Edafe, confirmed that a male and a female drowned somewhere along the Warri River, Friday.
However, he claimed not to have the identities of the two victims.
