Corps member drowns in Bauchi

A serving Corps member, Joseph Adebayo has drowned in Gubi dam in Bauchi following the capsizing of the canoe he and his friends rode in.

A statement from the Bauchi State Police Command signed by the PPRO, DSP Kamal Datti Abubakar contained that the unfortunate incident happened on Thursday, 11th of October, 2018 while the Corps members went on a picnic at the Dam.

The statement reads, “be informed that on 11/10/2018 at about 2030hrs, the Command received a report from one Mahadi Habila Sada, the Zonal Inspector of NYSC that on the same date at about 1700hrs, some Corps members attached to Bauchi State Board of Internal Revenue went on a picnic at Gubi dam to celebrate the end of their service year”.

The statement further contained that three of the Corps members entered into a canoe for a ride across the dam, but unfortunately the canoe was faulty, so water drifted into it making it capsize in the middle of the Dam.

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According to the Police statement, “however two of the Corps members were rescued by the villagers who were fishing in the Dam, while one Joseph Adebayo, aged 26 years who hailed from Ogun state was drowned and eventually died”.

The corpse of the late Corps member was recovered the following day, Friday at about 0800hrs, and has been deposited at ATBU Teaching Hospital mortuary for medical examination while investigations are in progress to ascertain immediate and remote causes of the incident.

All efforts to get further reactions from the State Coordinator of the NYSC, Afolayan James, proved abortive as he did not pick up the calls put across to him, neither did he respond to the SMS sent to his line as at the time of filing this report.

Some of his colleagues who spoke to our correspondent described the late Joseph Adebayo as a quiet, reserved and easy going person who was committed to his family considering the way and manner he was said to be talking about the family.

Meanwhile, Bauchi State Police Command has reaffirmed its determination to work with Journalists for a crime-free society.

The State Police Commissioner, Sunusi Lemu, made this known when he received officials of the Correspondents Chapel of the State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) who paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

The Commissioner said that the Command deems it necessary to partner with the Journalists for effective discharge of its responsibilities because according to him, Journalists in the state have contributed positively towards the success of the Command, especially for their accurate and balanced reportage.

Sanusi Lemu then promised to support the Correspondents Chapel towards finding a lasting solution to the challenges faced in the discharge of their assigned responsibilities.

Earlier, Chairman of the Correspondents Chapel, Segun Awofadeji informed the Police Commissioner that the officials of the Chapel are doing it’s best to ensure sanity among the members.

According to him, the commitment of the Police Command has assisted towards reducing criminal activities in the state and appealed to the Command to put head together with Journalists to enable them perform their duties without any hitch.

Segun Awofadeji also used the forum to commend the Police in the State for exhibiting high sense of maturity and professionalism before, during and after the recent conduct of the Bauchi South Senatorial by-election.