8 Females drown in Oti river
Eight females, including a pregnant woman, drowned in the Oti River in the Saboba District in the Northern Region while returning from a funeral last Sunday evening.
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The eight were returning from a funeral in Jajab, a community in Togo near Nankpeli-Chakosi in Saboba, where the deceased came from.
They comprised three women, two young girls, and three children.
They have been identified as Kitingbo Punton, Awulfor Grungapa, Mbalija Ajishi, Baba Awabu, Wulinyi Fambomu, Kitingbo Tanyachun, and Mbalija Awa. One person identified as Simi Mbeninbi is yet to be found.
Their bodies have been released to their families for burial with the exception of the pregnant woman, whose body has been deposited at the Saboba Government Hospital.
Confirmation
Confirming the incident to the Daily Graphic, the Saboba District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Adolf Ali John, said the incident occurred on the evening of Sunday, April 3, 2016.
According to Mr Ali, when the females were returning from Togo and got to the bank of Oti River in the evening, there was no man there to help them to cross the river in a canoe.
One of the eight women was alleged to have said that she could paddle the canoe and, therefore, asked the rest to join her.
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Two women with their children joined her, while those who were afraid stood at the bank. Mr Ali said when they got to the middle of the river, their canoe capsized, leading to their death.
He explained that the other women who did not join but were at the river bank ran home to report the incident to their husbands.
He added that the rescue team who came to the scene shortly after the incident were able to retrieve three of the bodies, while four others were retrieved on Monday morning.
When contacted, the Northern Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Assistant Superintendent of Police, (ASP), Mr Ebenezer Tetteh, said some of the bodies had been released to their families for burial because they were Muslims.