Liberia: Eight Drown; Two Killed in Nimba After Canoe Capsizes

Zahn Bowyee Town – At least eight persons have drowned when a canoe capsized in Zahn Bowyee Town, in electoral district # 8 in Nimba County.

The victims were four women, four men.

A FrontPageAfrica correspondent in the county reports that the incident occurred when the victims were using a canoe to cross over the Yar River to go to their respective farms over the weekend.

A 13-year-old boy who was peddling the canoe, was the only survivor. Eyewitnesses say the young boy managed to swim onshore when the canoe capsized.

Following the incident, Police in Sokopa question the boy over how the boat capsized.

The latest incident brings to 13 the number of people who have died as a result of canoe capsizing over the Yar River.

It can be recalled that five persons drowned while crossing over the same river to participate in the special senatorial elections in 2020.

The use of canoe serves as the only means of transportation for the citizens, including farmers.

They normally gather in huge numbers during the morning hours to be transported over the river.

Citizens in the area have persistently complained to national government and their elected leaders to provide a ferry to guarantee their safety while crossing over the Yar River. But up to present, nothing has been done to address the situation.

At the same time, a 60-year-old man was mobbed to death after killing a 30-year-old man in Lessonnor Kpokpah Town in Nimba County.

The perpetrator identified as one Alfred Karduan chopped Thompson Lee with a cutlass for consistently making fun of him after he was warned to stop several times.

Following the incident, unknown aggrieved persons trooped from the nearby district, burned Karduan’s house and mobbed him to death instantly.

Up to present, no one has been arrested in connection with the mob justice.