At Least 15 Dead, 3 Missing In Boat Mishap Fleeing Bandit’s Attack In Zamfara

Fifteen persons were said to have died, while three others are declared missing, after a boat capsized in Gummi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The incident occurred over the weekend when some locals fleeing bandit’s attack attempted to cross a river at Nasarawar Kifi, a community located in Birnin Tudu ward.

The cause of the incident according to eyewitness is not far from over load which led to over turned as the boat is meant for only sixteen passengers, but was over loaded due to the fear of the attacked.

Majority of the victims are mostly women and children from Danmaga, Tungar Maigunya, and Nasarawar Kifi communities.

The village head of Nasarawar Kifi, Muhammadu Chigari, confirmed the incident and described the entire area as one of grief and sorrow.

He said the victims include eight housewives, three toddlers, and four youths, while local divers are still searching for missing persons.

The traditional appealed to governments at all levels for humanitarian support to provide more boats for villagers whose farms and businesses depend on water transportation.

A resident of one the affected Communities who pleaded annonimity said villages around the river have Continued to lose lives yearly to same accidents due to inadequate transport facilities especially during emergency cases like bandits attack among others.

“The ill-fated boat, which could only carry 16 passengers, overturned during its third trip after two women out of fear forced themselves onboard despite that the boat was already overloaded” He said.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Sokoto Field Office of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Aliyu Shehu, also confirmed the incident to newsmen, noting that NEMA in collaboration with the Zamfara State Emergency Management Agency (ZEMA) are already at the scene to ascertain the exact number of victims and provide relief materials for their families.

“We learnt about the tragic incident today. The Zamfara Emergency Management Agency and our team will be visiting there tomorrow, because we can’t confirm the exact number of victims yet” Shehu Said.

It would recalled that in August 2024, Twenty persons died in a river in same local government area while fleeing Bandits’ attack.

The deceased have since been buried in a mass funeral according to Islamic rites.