Four youth drown in Plateau community

Four youth drowned in a well at Duk quarters in Pankshin, a town in Plateau state, on Wednesday.

Sa’ad Ibrahim, the divisional police officer (DPO) of the area, confirmed the incident to NAN.

Gonjir Goper, a witness identified the deceased as Tonzum Ngwalamba, Nentawe Leptak, Sati Tongleb and Ngompang Ngoshim.

Goper said they lost their lives while trying to push the nozzle of a water pumping machine into the well.

They were reportedly aged between 18 and 25.

Goper said the first victim was trying to push the nozzle when he fell into the well while the others died in an attempt to rescue him.

“The second victim jumped into the well to rescue the first, but did not come out. These rescue efforts continued till the well swallowed the four of them within a very short while,” he said.

Goper described the incident as “shocking and mysterious.”

NAN quoted sources as saying one of the victims was a son to one Lamba, owner of the well.

The DPO said the corpses of the victims have been removed from the well and deposited at the Pankshin General Hospital.

Stephen Jings, chairman, interim management committee of the local government, expressed shock at the incident.