Tragedy struck Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of Zamfara State on Friday when 13 residents drowned while attempting to escape a gunmen’s invasion of their communities.
Eyewitnesses said the assailants stormed two villages in Birnin Magaji Ward, forcing terrified residents to flee toward a nearby river.
With no safe escape route on land, scores of villagers rushed to board a single boat in a desperate attempt to cross to the other side.
The boat, however, became overloaded and capsized midway, throwing its occupants into the river.
A health worker, Shehu Mohammed, who lost his first son and two nieces in the mishap, told Reuters that the tragedy could have been avoided if security had been provided earlier to the troubled communities.
“My eldest son and two other nieces were among the 13 who died when the boat capsized because too many people were on board,” he lamented.
Confirming the incident, the District Head of Birnin Magaji, Maidamma Dankilo, said 13 bodies had been recovered while 22 other victims were rescued. He added that another 22 people remain unaccounted for.
The district head described the incident as “a double tragedy,” noting that the victims were first displaced by armed bandits and later lost their lives in the river while fleeing for safety.
Zamfara, one of the states worst hit by banditry in the North-West, has recorded repeated attacks in recent months, leaving many communities deserted as residents continue to flee for survival.
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