A family in Akure, Ondo State, has been thrown into mourning after three siblings who went missing from a farm were found dead near a river less than a day later.
The victims were identified as 11-year-old twins Joshua and Jacob Jonah and their five-year-old sister, Blessing Jonah.
The tragedy occurred around the Owena Army Barracks area on the outskirts of Akure.
The children had gone to the farm with their father, Samuel Jonah, on Friday, September 4, 2026.
According to the family, the siblings left the farm before their father and headed towards home.
Concern grew when Samuel later returned from the farm and discovered that the children were nowhere to be found.
He immediately alerted relatives and neighbours, who joined efforts to locate the missing siblings.
The search team combed the farm, nearby bushes and surrounding paths in the hope of finding the children alive.
However, the search ended in tragedy on Saturday morning.
The bodies of Joshua, Jacob and Blessing were found close to a small river within the farm, according to the family and police.
The discovery sent shockwaves through the community, with residents struggling to come to terms with the loss of three children from one household.
At the Jonah family residence, relatives, friends and neighbours gathered to console the bereaved family.
A neighbour described the incident as particularly devastating because the victims were siblings who died in the same incident.
“Losing three children at once is a pain no family should have to endure,” the neighbour said.
The Ondo State Police Command has confirmed the deaths and commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Police spokesman, DSP Jimoh Abayomi, said the children had been at the farm with their father before they disappeared.
According to him, the search conducted after the children were reported missing eventually led to the discovery of their bodies near the riverbank.
Abayomi said investigators were working to determine exactly what happened to the siblings.
“The police are documenting the incident, while an investigation is ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding their deaths,” he said.
The police spokesman added that the bodies had been released to their father for burial.
He also urged parents and guardians to exercise greater caution when children are around farms, rivers, streams and other potentially dangerous areas.
For now, the cause and manner of the children’s deaths remain unclear.
Police have not disclosed whether the children drowned or died under any other circumstances, and there has been no official conclusion on what happened before their bodies were discovered.
Meanwhile, the Jonah family is preparing to bury the three siblings as relatives and residents continue to grieve.
The incident has also raised fresh concerns about the safety of children who accompany their parents to farms, particularly in areas close to rivers and other water bodies.
For the Akure community, the immediate concern is no longer only mourning the children but also finding answers to the circumstances that led to their deaths.