The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has declared three days of mourning for the corps members who drowned at the Mayo-Selbe river near the Gashaka falls in Gashaka Local Government Area of Taraba.

Mrs Adeyemi Adenike, the NYSC Director, Press and Public Relations said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

Adenike said that the nine corps members on Saturday Aug. 4 involved in the accident left their places of primary assignment on a picnic at the
site, adding that they got due to the sudden increase in water volume and surge.

Adenike said that seven bodies had so far been recovered from the river by local divers and security agents while the search for the remaining missing two corps members was ongoing.

“The entire NYSC family is shocked and saddened by the cruel twist of fate that befell our corps members.

“The corps members drowned as a result of the sudden increase in water volume and surge of river Mayo-Selbe near the Gashaka falls in Gashaka Local Government Area of Taraba.

“Seven bodies have so far been recovered from the river by local divers and security agents while the search for the remaining two missing corps members is ongoing.

“Management has, therefore, declared three-day mourning for the souls of our departed heroes; beginning from Monday Aug, 6.

“Our condolences are with the families at this moment,“ she said.

Adenike said that during the mourning, NYSC flags would fly half-mast nationwide.