15 die, five missing as boat capsizes in Zamfara community 

No fewer than 15 people died while three others were declared missing after a boat capsized in Danmaga village of the Gummi Local Government area Zamfara State.

The incident reportedly occured on Friday when about 20 villagers fleeing bandit attack, boarded the boat which later capsized while attempting to cross a river at Nasarawar Kifi in Birnin Tudu ward.

It was gathered that the victims, mostly women and children from Danmaga, Tungar Maigunya and Nasarawar Kifi, took the boat to take them to safety.

The 16- passenger  boat was said to have collapsed  because it was overloaded.

The village head of Nasarawar Kifi, Alhaji Muhammadu Chigari, confirmed the the incident, describing it as unfortunate and disheartening.

He said eight housewives, three toddlers and four youths died in the incident.

Chigari added that local divers within the community have gone in search of the remaining missing persons.

The Head of the Sokoto Field Office of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Aliyu Shehu, confirmed the incident.

Shehu said a team from NEMA in collaboration with the Zamfara State Emergency Management Agency (ZEMA) are working together to ascertain what actually happened.