Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja and Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo

Tragedy struck Monday night in Kabba, headquarters of Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State as four Higer National Diploma (HND) graduates, who specialise in digging wells sunk and died after digging a well.

The deceased names were given as David, Sunday, Ayo and Ogbekedo, with two of them from the same parents.

According to an eye witness account, the tragedy occurred at Zango Quarters Kabba, where a primary school mistress, Mrs Agnes Baiyere, had contracted the desceased to dig a well in front of her newly built four bedroom apartment.

The woman, a teacher in St Mary’s Primary School, Kabba, was said to have earlier contracted one of the deceased, named David, who had invited his other colleagues to dig the well.

The  about 25 feet well, which was dug for about a week, was said to have been completed, with all the finishing done, as the well cover had been put in place and the outer part of the well plastered, when two of them went back on Monday evening, at about 6:00p.m, to evacuate some broken blocks that fell inside the well.

However, when one of them entered the well, he was said to have complained of  dizziness, which led to the other person quickly coming to the aid of his friend, but, the two were mysteriously trapped into the well and could not come out. As the news filtered round, the two other  workers were said to have immediately raced to the well to rescue their colleagues, but they were also trapped and could not come out.

As the landlady and tenants began to wail, it drew the attention of sympathisers to the scene, who, at this point, became so much afraid as rumour of ‘mammy water’ rent the air.

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Staff of  Abuja Electricity distribution company,  Kabba office, were said to have been contacted, who raced to the scene with their ladder with which the remains of the four deceased persons were evacuated.

The account said as they were being rushed to the General Hospital Kabba, one of the deceased opened his eyes after a pastor offered intensed prayers, but he gave up as they were stepping into the hospital.

The landlady of the house, was said to have collapsed on sighting the evacuated corpses and has since been rushed to the hospital, where she is receiving treatment.

The remains of the deceased, whose ages ranged from 30-35 have been deposited at the morgue of the General Hospital Kabba for autopsy.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba state, Mr Daniel Adi,  has confirmed the death of two persons and destruction of houses in an outbreak of communal crisis in Kente area of the local government.

He said  trouble started on Monday when some youths in Kente prevented some women from bringing goods to Kente market.

“One woman, who defiled their order and brought yams to the market for sale, was molested by youths and the action sparked reprisal from Jukun youths.

Adi said collaborative efforts are ongoing with the security machinery in the neighboring Benue state to make sure the situation does not escalate.