The Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency NSEMA Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Inga has confirmed the death of sixteen villagers in a boat accident on the river Kaduna at Bodo village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
Inga who stated this in Minna said presently search and rescue operations had started to rescue victims.
It was learnt the incident occurred on Wednesday morning when the deceased among several others from Sayita village in Munya local government were fleeing from terrorists attack on their village.
It was gathered that the villagers were conveyed in three boats heading towards Zumba town in Shiroro local government area for safety when their boat capsized.
An eyewitness stated that terrorists numbering over 100 attacked Sayita village creating fears that caused them to take to their heels and headed to Zumba town.
Halfway into the journey, one of the boats conveying 30 persons capsized. However, with the efforts of the other travellers, 16 passengers were rescued.
The head of the local divers in Zumba called Sarkin Jirgi, stated that presently eight out of 14 corpses have been recovered from the river as efforts are still ongoing for the others.