16-year-old boy drowns while swimming in Rivers

A tragic drowning incident occurred in the Ogoloma community of Okrika Local Government Area, Rivers State, where a 16-year-old boy, Miebaka Koko, lost his life while swimming with friends on Saturday. The group had gone to Derock Waterside, a local river, when Koko was swept away by a strong current.

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Companies have dredged almost all the waterfront areas in Okrika Local Government Area. The dredging has made the river much deeper. Just a step away from the riverbank can be dangerously deep.

Eyewitnesses reported that Koko's friends quickly exited the water to seek assistance upon realizing he was in distress. Igwe Godswill, Sector Commander of the Civilian Joint Task Force in Okrika LGA, attributed the drowning to the significant increase in the river's depth resulting from extensive dredging activities by companies in the area. "The dredging has made the river much deeper. Just a step away from the riverbank can be dangerously deep," Godswill stated.

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At about 1:30 p.m. yesterday, four boys left the community and went to Derock Waterside in Ogoloma to swim. They entered the water, and shortly afterward, we saw the boys running out. A woman was also shouting for help. We rushed to the scene with another man and tried to rescue the boy. At one point, we could only see his hands above the water. However, the current was very strong, and the man who attempted to rescue him could not reach him. Unfortunately, the boy drowned. It is very painful.

Godswill recounted that the incident happened around 1:30 p.m. when four boys entered the water. Despite attempts by a man to rescue Koko, the strong current prevented him from reaching the struggling teenager. "Unfortunately, the boy drowned. It is very painful," Godswill added, noting the difficulty in recovering bodies from the local rivers, which often takes several days.

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If you are from this part of Rivers State, you will know that when someone drowns in our rivers, it often takes two or three days before the body can be recovered.

Authorities are urging parents to exercise greater caution and monitor their children's activities, warning them against swimming in dredged and dangerous river areas. The State Command of the Nigeria Police confirmed awareness of the incident and has begun an investigation, although no formal complaint has been lodged by the boy's relatives.

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I advise parents to warn their children about where they swim. Most of our rivers have been dredged and are now very dangerous. Parents should also keep track of where their children go.