UNIBEN student drowns in River Benue

A yet to be identified University of Benin student has drowned in River Benue, on the closing day of Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA) hosted in Makurdi, capital of Benue state.

Omeche Onoja, chairman, NUGA games medical and sanitation sub-committee confirmed the incident.

The name of the student was not disclosed.

Onoja said the student had gone to the river to swim when the incident occurred.

She said his corpse had been deposited at Madonna Hospital in Makurdi.

“We had a distress call from some students of the situation but on reaching the river, we found the lifeless body of the student, who has been identified by his colleagues. He was said to have participated in some games,” she said.

“The whole incident could have been avoided.”

The Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA) Games was hosted by the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (UAM).

Fifty-seven universities participated.