At Least 13 Dead, 22 Missing After Boat Capsizes in Nigeria

At least 13 people were killed and more than 20 remain missing after an overcrowded boat capsized in north-west Nigeria’s Zamfara State as residents attempted to flee an armed attack, local officials and residents confirmed on Saturday.

The tragedy occurred on Friday afternoon in the Birnin Magaji area when gunmen stormed two villages, forcing terrified residents to run towards a nearby river. With only one boat available, dozens of people attempted to board at once, causing it to overturn mid-crossing.

Shehu Mohammed, a health worker in Birnin Magaji, said his eldest son and two female relatives were among the victims. He explained that the boat had become dangerously overloaded as residents tried to escape the attackers.

Birnin Magaji’s council chairman, Maidama Dankilo, confirmed that 13 bodies had been recovered while 22 people were rescued alive. However, another 22 passengers are still missing, and search operations continue along the river.

Zamfara has been one of the regions worst affected by escalating violence in Nigeria, where armed groups locally known as bandits frequently raid communities, loot villages, and kidnap residents for ransom.

Just last weekend, gunmen killed at least two people and abducted more than 100 others in an attack around 150 kilometers west of Birnin Magaji.