A serving member of the National Youth Service Corps, Okebaram Stanley Chimaraoke, has reportedly drowned while swimming in a creek in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The incident, which occurred on Monday, has thrown colleagues, friends and former associates into mourning, with many describing the deceased as a promising young leader.
Before his national service, Chimaraoke served as President of the Students' Union Government of the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Imo State.
Confirming the incident on Tuesday, the spokesperson for the Bayelsa State Police Command, DSP Musa Mohammed, said an investigation had commenced to determine the circumstances surrounding the death.
He said, “The command has commenced a full-scale investigation into the death of the corps member to ascertain the circumstances that led to his death.”
Although the National Youth Service Corps had yet to issue an official statement as of the time of filing this report, a youth organisation, the Bayelsa Comrade Family, dismissed claims circulating on social media that the deceased was murdered.
In a statement signed by its spokesman, Comrade Ayakeme Paebi, the group said available information indicated that Chimaraoke accidentally drowned while swimming and was not killed.
The group urged the public, bloggers and media organisations to avoid spreading unverified reports capable of causing unnecessary panic and further distress to the bereaved family.
“We urge members of the public to refrain from circulating unverified information suggesting that he was murdered. The available information indicates that he accidentally drowned while swimming, although the matter remains under police investigation,” the statement added.
The police said investigations are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.
