A 16-year-old boy has drowned while swimming in a river at Ogoloma community, Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The incident occurred on Saturday at Derock Waterside, where the teenager, identified as Miebaka Koko, had gone swimming with three friends when he was overpowered by a strong current and swept underwater.
Witnesses said panic set in immediately after his friends noticed he was struggling. They reportedly rushed out of the water and called for help.
A local security official, the Sector Commander of the Civilian Joint Task Force in Okrika Local Government Area, Igwe Godswill, linked the tragedy to the increasing depth of the river, which he attributed to dredging activities around waterfront communities.
He explained that extensive dredging in the area had made parts of the river unexpectedly deep and dangerous, warning that even areas close to the shoreline could be life-threatening.
According to him, four boys left the community around 1:30 p.m. for a swim when the unfortunate incident happened. He said residents, including a woman who raised an alarm, quickly responded, and attempts were made to rescue the victim, but the strong current made it impossible to reach him in time.
He added that at one point, the boy’s hands were seen above the water surface before he eventually went under.
Godswill also noted that recovering bodies from rivers in the area is often difficult, saying it can take several days before retrieval is possible due to the nature of the waterways.
He urged parents and guardians to discourage children from swimming in unsafe or unfamiliar waters, stressing the need for closer supervision.
Security personnel, including members of the police and soldiers from Sector 3, were said to have witnessed the incident.
As of the time of filing this report, the boy’s body had not yet been recovered.
Meanwhile, the police in Rivers State confirmed awareness of the incident. The spokesperson of the state command, Blessing Agabe, said no official report had been received from the family, but assured that an investigation had begun to establish the circumstances surrounding the drowning.