A wave of sorrow has swept through the Gboko West community in Benue State following the tragic drowning of a teenage student, Japheth Amine, in River Nomnor Mke on Thursday.
According to eyewitnesses, the heartbreaking incident occurred earlier in the day when Japheth, alongside a group of schoolmates, sneaked out of school during study hours to swim in the river—a risky adventure that ended in tragedy.
Eyewitnesses recounted that while the boys were swimming, Japheth was swept away by a powerful current. His friends, unable to save him, watched helplessly as he disappeared beneath the water.
Despite frantic efforts to locate him, it wasn’t until around 1:45 p.m. that local residents, who had gone to the riverbank to do laundry, discovered his lifeless body downstream.
The incident has plunged the Gboko West community into deep mourning, with grieving neighbours and families struggling to come to terms with the loss of a young life filled with promise.
“This is a painful reminder of the importance of proper supervision both at home and in school,” said Elder Daniel Tor, a community leader. “Japheth was a bright young boy. This tragedy could have been avoided.”
The Chairman of the Gboko Local Government Education Authority, who visited the scene, expressed sadness over the development and urged school authorities to enforce stricter attendance monitoring to prevent students from absconding during school hours.
Community leaders and parents have also called for renewed awareness campaigns on water safety and responsible conduct among school-age children, especially during the rainy season when rivers are deeper and more dangerous.
As Japheth’s family prepares for burial, the Gboko West community continues to grapple with a collective sense of loss, vowing to take steps to ensure that such a preventable tragedy never happens again.