A 16-year -old boy, Miebaka Koko, has drowned while swimming with friends at Derock Waterside in Ogoloma, Okrika Local Council of Rivers State, triggering renewed concerns over the dangers posed by dredging activities in waterfront communities.
  
The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday afternoon when the teenager and three friends went swimming in the river. Witnesses said Koko was swept away by a strong current and disappeared beneath the water before help could reach him.
  
Speaking on the incident, Sector Commander of the Civilian Joint Task Force, Igwe Godswill, blamed the increasing number of dangerous spots in local rivers on extensive dredging activities.
  
According to him, dredging operations by companies have significantly altered the depth of rivers across Okrika, turning previously safe swimming areas into hazardous zones.
   
“Most of the waterfronts in Okrika have been dredged by companies. The result is that the rivers have become much deeper, and a person can suddenly step into a very deep section close to the shore,” he said.
   
Godswill explained that the incident occurred at about 1:30 p.m. when four boys from the community visited the waterside to swim.
   
He said residents were alerted after the boys suddenly ran out of the water while a nearby woman raised an alarm that someone was drowning. “We rushed to the scene immediately. Another man also attempted to rescue the boy. At a point, we could only see his hands above the water, but the current was too strong. The rescuer could not get to him before he disappeared. Sadly, he drowned,” he recounted.
  
Describing the incident as tragic, the CJTF commander noted that recovery of bodies from rivers in the area is often difficult and may take days. “In this part of Rivers State, when someone drowns, it sometimes takes two or three days before the body resurfaces or is recovered,” he said.
  
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to recover the teenager’s body had yet to yield results.
  
Godswill urged parents and guardians to educate children on the dangers of swimming in rivers, particularly in areas affected by dredging, and to monitor their movements more closely.
  
He also disclosed that security personnel, including soldiers from Sector 3 and a police officer, witnessed the incident.
  
When contacted, spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Agabe Blessing Kaborlo, confirmed the incident. She stated that no formal report had yet been made by the deceased’s family, adding that investigations had commenced.
  
Kaborlo urged the family of the deceased to officially report the matter at the police division with jurisdiction over the area to facilitate further action.