13 KILLED, DOZENS MISSING AS BOAT CAPSIZES DURING ESCAPE FROM BANDIT ATTACK IN ZAMFARA

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Agency report

At least 13 people have been confirmed dead, while more than 20 others remain missing, after a boat carrying villagers fleeing an attack capsized in a river in Zamfara State, northwestern Nigeria, officials and residents said on Saturday.

According to Reuters, the tragedy followed an armed attack on communities in Birnin Magaji ward on Friday, which forced residents to attempt crossing a nearby river for safety.

Locals reported that the boat was severely overcrowded.

“My eldest son and two nieces were among the 13 people who died,” said Shehu Mohammed, a health worker in Birnin Magaji, speaking to Reuters.

“People were panicking and rushed onto the boat. It simply couldn’t hold everyone,” Mohammed added.

Maidamma Dankilo, the district head of Birnin Magaji, confirmed the incident, stating, “13 people have been confirmed dead, 22 were rescued, and 22 others are still missing.”

Zamfara has in recent times become a hotspot for violence by armed groups, locally described as bandits. The latest tragedy comes amid a surge in deadly attacks across the region.

Just last weekend, gunmen killed at least two people and abducted over 100 in another incident, around 150 km west of Birnin Magaji.

A report by Lagos-based research firm SBM Intelligence revealed that Zamfara alone witnessed 50 mass abductions between July 2024 and June 2025, with more than 1,000 victims affected.

“The scale of these attacks is devastating for our communities,” Dankilo lamented. “People live in constant fear, and even trying to escape can be deadly.”

Authorities have yet to release an official update on ongoing search and rescue efforts for those still missing.