Wole Balogun, Ado Ekiti

Two secondary schools students, last Friday died inside Ureje river in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, during a swimming expedition.

Daily Sun gathered that the deceased were students of Ado Grammar School located on Ado-Ijan Road.

A source told newsmen, yesterday that the two students died at a deeper portion of Ureje river, which stretched from Ajilosun and flowed to Odo Ado region of the capital city.

The source said about seven students were reported to have scaled the fence when academic works were ongoing to swim in the river, where two of them were drowned.

“The academic works were ongoing when they left school. They went to the deeper side of Ureje river to swim and two of them were  trapped in the mud and died.

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“One of the survivors said though four of them  jumped into the river before sensing that the two victims were no longer floating on the water.

“Those on the river cliff had to run to a farmer working around the river. It was the man who called on some swimmers farming in the area to come and rescue two that were still afloat before bringing out those that were already dead,” the source said.

The source added that the farmers later ran into the school compound at about noon to report the incident and the development was said to have evoked cries and wailings among the staff and students.

When called for confirmation, Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Caleb Ikechukwu, said the corpses of the students had been deposited in the morgue.

“We learnt the students went to the river to swim and got drowned. Their bodies had been taken to the mortuary,” he said.

Ikechukwu said other students who were part of the swimming expedition would help the police in their investigation into the incident.