Tragedy was recorded in Akwa Ibom state on Friday after eight pupils drowned in a river while returning from school. They were said to be returning from a primary school in Ikot Abia-Enyie in the Nsit Atai Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, as they perished in the Atang River following downpour which made the river bank overflow.
The river is said to have divided Ikot Abia-Enyie village into two; with all the facilities in the area ─ a health centre, a primary and a secondary schools ─ located on one side of the river.
The Chairman of the village council, Chief Etop Umanah, on Friday said the pupils drowned in the river following a downpour which made the river to overflow its bank. He stated that it was the custom of the villagers to wait for the pupils and women at the bank of the river after the closing hours whenever there was a downpour.
He said the pupils were crossing the river from their schools to the other side when the incident happened. Umanah added that before the men from the village could get to the river to rescue the pupils, the river had taken them away. He added that their corpses were recovered three days after.