Police authorities in Anambra have recovered three more bodies from a boat accident involving a movie cast. 

Nollywood star, Junior Pope Odonwodo was part of the crew that drowned in the boat mishap on Wednesday.

While some crew members were yet to be found following the boat tragedy, the spokesperson of the Anambra Police Command, Tochukwu Ikenga said three more bodies of members of the movie cast have been recovered.

“Marine Police of Anambra State Command has recovered bodies of the three remaining victims of the unfortunate boat accident involving a movie cast,” he said in a Friday statement.

“Two of the bodies were recovered yesterday 11th April, 2024 while the last was washed in by the tide this morning.”

The bodies have been deposited at a morgue in Asaba, Delta State while authorities of the guild of actors have also been informed about the recovery.

The spokesman quoted the state’s Police Commissioner, Aderemi Adeoye as advising water commuters to be safety conscious while in transit.

According to the commissioner, the Police are fast-tracking the investigation into the accident.

However, The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) has banned the shooting of movies in riverine areas and also suspended filmmaker, Adanma Luke following the death of actor Junior Pope Odonwodo.

Junior Pope was among the persons who drowned while returning from a shoot for a movie called “Another Side of Life” which was being produced by Adanma.

Their boat capsized around Cable Point at the waterside of River Niger in Asaba, Delta State.

While there were initial claims that Junior Pope was revived, the AGN said the actor is dead, prompting its suspension of shoots involving riverine areas and boat rides.

“The leadership of the Guild has taken the following decisions: (1) All films that involve riverine areas and boat riding are at this moment suspended indefinitely, (2) no shoot on all locations Nationwide on Thursday, 11 April 2024, ” the AGN president Emeka Rollas said in a statement on Thursday.

“(3)The film titled ‘Another Side of Life’ is suspended indefinitely (4) No actor is allowed to work with Adamma Luke as a producer till further notice. (5) While we keep searching for the bodies of the remaining persons, may their souls rest in peace.”

The move is coming after the AGN president said the actor was alive after initially confirming Junior Pope’s death. But hours later, he deleted the post on his Instagram handle, posting another one where he said reconfirmed the actor’s death.

“It’s so so sad that our joy was shortlived. My first post was out of excitement when we noticed his tingling fingers. Two notable hospitals tried their best to revive him but to no avail. God knows the best,” he said on his Instagram handle.

“We finally lost him. Mr Friday’s corpse has been identified but three other corpses are yet to be found.”

Culled / Titilayo Kupoliyi

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