By Deborah Nnamdi
The Awe Street in the Wurukum area of Makurdi town, Benue, was on Friday morning thrown into mourning over the death of one Abel Agaba, who drowned at the river Benue after he reportedly went swimming because of intense
The lifeless body of the 24-year-old 200-level student of the Chemistry department of Benue State University, BSU, Makurdi, was discovered at the river on Friday morning after he went to swim Thursday night after complaining of intense heat.
A close family source who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the deceased who lived with family members around Awe Street in the Wurukum area of Makurdi town had Thursday night in the company of friends finished watching a football match at a viewing center in the neighborhood, at about 11:45pm, and proceeded to the nearby River to swim.
He said, “We learned that after watching the European football matches that finished at about 11.45pm, he said he was hot and wanted to swim in River Benue to cool his body.
“Though those with him advised him against going to the River as it was already too late, he insisted and went since it was the usual practice around the area for people to go swimming at night whenever there is intense heat as we have now.
“He went alone, and nobody bothered to check on him till Friday morning when a fisherman in the neighborhood went to the River to check his fishing net for fish and discovered Agaba’s lifeless body attached to his fishing net.
“The man raised the alarm, and people went and recovered his body, which was identified by his family members who took his remains to the mortuary.
“The death of the young man has thrown the Awe Street neighborhood into mourning because he was a gentleman who gave his time to his studies and never had issues with anyone.”
When contacted, the State’s Police Command spokesperson, CSP Catherine Anene said she was yet to receive information on the incident.
