The Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, has been thrown into mourning following the recovery of the corpse of Miracle Ekene, a 200-level Chemical Engineering student who drowned on Sunday at the Ekoli Creek in Yenagoa. His tragic death reportedly stemmed from a N300 bet with his coursemates.
Ekene’s body was retrieved from the river on Monday evening, nearly 24 hours after he went missing while attempting to swim across the creek. His fellow students held a candle-lit procession in his memory later that evening.
Despite the emotional atmosphere on campus, the university management has remained silent on the incident. The institution’s Public Relations Officer, Ms. Mercy Ekott, stated via a text message that she was not authorized to speak on the matter. She also declined to confirm the identity of the deceased.
Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State Police Command has confirmed the recovery of the student’s corpse. The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Musa Mohammed, provided details of the case, stating that the student had gone to the river with a companion and drowned while bathing.
“The deceased went to the river to bathe along with one other person. Unfortunately, in the process, he jumped into the river and drowned. Investigations have commenced, and we advise students, especially young persons, to be very careful around rivers, whether they know how to swim or not,” Mohammed said.
According to university sources, Ekene had allegedly made a bet with his coursemates that he could swim across the river. Each participant reportedly contributed N300 to the wager. However, as he attempted to swim across, he went underwater and never resurfaced.
His tragic passing has sparked discussions about safety awareness and the risks associated with reckless bets among young people.
