More than 20 villagers from Kali, a community in Gumi Local Government Area of Zamfara State are alleged to have drowned while attempting to escape a bandit raid.
The tragedy occurred when their boat overturned in a river.
According to reports from DAILY POST, the tragedy happened last Sunday at around 1:00 PM when bandits approached the village on motorcycles, armed with advanced weaponry.
Fearing for their lives, the villagers attempted to flee, seeking safety across the river.
An anonymous local resident stated that the boat was heavily overloaded, causing it to capsize in the Birnin Magaji River, resulting in the deaths of over 20 villagers.
“The bandits were seen moving towards Kalli village on motorcycles with sophisticated weapons to attack the community, which forced the villagers to flee for their safety,” he added.
He mentioned that five bodies were found at Falale River, four were discovered at Birnin Magaji River, and three more were recovered at Gadar Gummi River.
The resident also reported that the bandits have been menacing several nearby communities, including Kwammaka, Kwammaka Jibi, Kwammaka Mai Katsina, Kallin, and Kazura villages, all within Gummi Local Government Area.
As of now, the police have not released any official statement regarding the incident.