PATHETIC: How 9 ‘Corpers’ drown during picnic – Gobroadsheet
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(Corps members celebrating NYSC at 45 recently in Kaduna)
NIGERIA –
DEATH of Nine serving Corp members in Gashaka local government area of Taraba state had thrown families, colleagues and staff of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) into mourning.
Gobroadsheet reports that, the Corps members, whose details are still sketchy as at the time of filing this report drowned at Mayo Sebri in Taraba state while on picnic at the weekend.
Confirming this ugly incident, Coordinator of the Scheme in Taraba, Mrs Florence Yaakugh hinted that, seven bodies have been recovered while the search for the other two bodies was still ongoing by the local divers in collaboration with security agencies and the NYSC.
Describing the incident as unfortunate, Yaakugh further said, the NYSC would soon have the identity of all the Corp members involved and make such known appropriately.
“We have very sketchy information indicating that about nine of our Corp members were drowned in Gashaka yesterday. So far, seven bodies have been recovered and we are working with other relevant persons to recover the rest and to identify the persons.
“This is a very sad development and the entire NYSC family in Taraba state is already thrown into deep mourning”, Yaakugh expressed.
Also confirming the incident, Police Spokesman in the State, ASP David Misal said, nine Corp members were having a picnic in a river at Mayo Sibre in Serti, Gashaka local government area of the state when the water volume surged with more force than they could contain, consequent on a heavy downpour and nine of them were washed off.
“I can confirm to you, on a very sad note, that seven bodies of Corp members serving in Gashaka local government area who were on a picnic at Mayo Sebri in Gashaka local government area have been recovered.
“The information we have at this time shows that these Corp members were having some good time in the river when the sudden upsurge in the water level overwhelmed them and swept nine of them off.
“So far, we have recovered seven bodies and we are working with the locals and NYSC officials to recover the other two.
“We hope to identify the persons involved as soon as possible. This is a very sad development but it is a natural disaster that could not have been fathomed”, added the cop.