No fewer than 26 people have lost their lives while fleeing an attack by bandits on Birnin-Waje village, in the Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
An indigene of the community, Musa Sani, told PUNCH Metro that the residents, who were attacked by bandits last Wednesday, were trying to escape in a boat when the incident happened.
He maintained that as they were in the river, the bandits arrived at the scene and opened fire on them, adding that the boat capsized, leading to the death of 26 people.
“The victims, who were mostly women and children, were in a boat trying to escape the attack, but unfortunately the boat capsized, killing 21 children and five women.
“As I am talking to you now, we have recovered their dead bodies and will soon bury them,” he added.
Sani explained that the bandits also kidnapped 27 people in surrounding villages of Rugaje, Danzamau and Maikulki.
He said, ‘’They kidnapped 12 in Rugaje, nine in Danzamau and six in Maikulki.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Mohammed Shehu, could not be reached for comments as of the time of filing this report.
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