15 drown fleeing Nigeria gang violence

NIGERIA - At least 15 people fleeing gang violence in the northern Nigerian state of Zamfara died when their boat capsized on a river, officials and a local resident told AFP Sunday.

Criminal gangs are terrorising the northwestern region of Nigeria as they go on the rampage, stealing cattle, looting and burning down villages as well as kidnapping for ransom.

Those who drowned were primarily women and children who had fled a bandit raid on Friday on three villages in the Gummi region, the sources said.

"Fifteen passengers drowned when the overloaded boat capsized as they crossed the river," said Muhammadu Chigari, head of the village of Nasarawar Kirfi.

The victims comprised eight women, three children and four men, with three rescued, said Chigari, who attended funerals of some of the victims on Sunday.

The victims had fled their homes in the villages of Damaga, Tungar Maigunya and Nasarawar Kirfi after bandits attacked, said Suleiman Dangaladima, another local dignitary who gave the same death toll.

Aliyu Shehu, director of Nigeria's emergency agency NEMA, confirmed the incident, saying rescue workers were "planning to go to the scene" to gather information and help survivors.

Boat accidents are frequent, notably during the rainy season, in Nigeria with many vessels overloaded and poorly maintained.