Like unscripted play, 22 members of National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, serving in Taraba State went for a picnic party in Mayo-Selbe River in Gashaka local government area.
The corps members never had premonition of the impending disaster otherwise they would have cancelled the trip that turned ghastly.
As they were swimming, the river suddenly increased the volume of water and 13 corps members escaped the angst of the raging river.
Like a film trick, nine who were also swimming drowned in the river.
The Taraba Police Command’s spokesman, ASP David Missal, who confirmed the incident which occurred on Saturday said seven corpses had so far been recovered.
“Information available to our disposal reveals that 22 youth corps members serving in the state were on a picnic party in River Mayo-Selbe 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,” he said.
News Agency of Nigeria reported that Mrs Florence Yaakugh, State NYSC Coordinator, 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.
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.
“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,” she said.
