Nine NYSC Members Drown In Taraba During Picnic

Sudden increase in the volume of water in River
Mayo Celbe, Taraba was responsible for the
drowning of nine corps members who were
swimming during a picnic, the police said.
The Taraba State Police Command’s spokesman,
ASP David Missal, who confirmed the incident
which occurred on Saturday, said seven corpses
had so far been recovered.
Missal said: “Information available to our
disposal reveals that 22 Youth Corps members
serving in the state were on a picnic party in
River Mayo-Selbe in Gashaka LGA on Saturday
when the incident happened.
“We were made to understand that while they
were swimming, there was a sudden increase in
the volume of water which carried nine of them
away.
“We have so far recovered Seven corpses while
the search for the two remaining corpses is still
in progress.”
State NYSC Coordinator, Florence Yaakugh, also
confirmed the incident.
Yaakugh said that the seven bodies have been
recovered while the search for the other two
bodies was still ongoing by the locals in
collaboration with security agencies and the
NYSC.
While describing the incident as most regrettable
and unfortunate, Yaakugh said that the NYSC
would soon have the identity of all the Corps
members involved and make such known
appropriately.
She said: “We have information indicating that
about nine of our Corps members were drowned
in Gashaka on Saturday.
“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.”