TheCable

Several women and children drowned while escaping a terrorist attack in Birnin Wajje community of Zamfara state on Wednesday.

The boats they boarded were said to have capsized following an “onboard stampede”.

Birnin Wajje is a riverine community two kilometres from the local government headquarters in Bukkuyum.

The terrorists invaded the community around 6pm while residents were reportedly preparing for prayers.

Ibrahim Zauma, a new media aide of Bello Matawalle, the state governor, confirmed the attack on his Facebook page.

“Following an onboard stampede of displaced persons running from pursuing bandit terrorists at Zauma ferry station, an unknown number of mostly women and children got drowned after two canoes capsized,” he said.

Efforts to reach Mohammed Shehu, the state police spokesperson, were unfruitful as his number did not connect nor did he respond to texts.

The attack comes less than two weeks after suspected terrorists killed at least 15 worshippers at a mosque in Ruwan Jema town in Bukkuyum LGA.

Ibrahim Dosara, the Zamfara commissioner for information, had asked the military to pay more attention to the Munhaye forest in the north-west, if banditry is to be successfully curbed.

He described the Munhaye forest as the “Sambisa” of the north-west.