Tragedy as Twins, Five-Year-Old Sister Found Dead Near River in Ondo

A family in Oke Ogba, Akure, Ondo State, has been thrown into mourning after three siblings were found dead near a river within a farm area.

The children, 11-year-old twins Joshua and Jacob Jonah, and their five-year-old sister, Blessing, had gone missing on Friday while returning from their family farm.

The siblings had accompanied their father, Samuel Jonah, to the farm around the Owena Army Barracks area on the outskirts of Akure.

A family source said the children left the farm ahead of their father as they headed home. However, Samuel could not find them when he later left the farm.

The worried father raised the alarm and began searching for the children with relatives and neighbours. The search continued through the area until Saturday morning.

The search party eventually found the bodies of the three children in a small river close to the farm.

The discovery plunged the Jonah family and the Oke Ogba community into grief. Relatives, friends and neighbours gathered at the family’s residence to sympathise with the bereaved family.

One neighbour described the incident as devastating, particularly because the three children from the same household died together.

“The loss of the twins and their younger sister has left the neighbourhood in profound grief. It is too painful. Twins and their little sister, all gone together,” the neighbour said.

The Ondo State Police Command confirmed the incident and said it had opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Police spokesman, Jimoh Abayomi, said the children were with their family at the farm before they went missing. He added that a search operation later led to the discovery of their bodies near the river.

“The Command is documenting the incident, and the investigation is ongoing to ascertain what led to their death,” Abayomi said.

He confirmed that the police had released the bodies to their father as the family prepares for their burial.

The police spokesman also urged parents and guardians to keep a close watch on children, particularly around rivers, streams and ponds.

As of press time, investigators had yet to determine what caused the deaths. The family and residents are therefore awaiting the outcome of the police investigation as they grapple with the loss of the three young siblings.