March 30, (THEWILL) – At least 16 people including women and children, on Wednesday, lost their lives in a boat mishap in River Shiroro, while trying to escape gunmen attacks on their community.
THEWILL gathered that gunmen, said to be numbering over 200 invaded Shayita community in Munya Local Government Area and in their usual manner, ransacked the entire community looting foodstuff and other valuables.
The victims, according to a source close to the community, had received reports of an imminent attack and had begun to evacuate their belongings to relocate.
According to our source, no fewer than ten boats took off from Shayita in Munya Local Government Area and heading to Zumba in Shiroro local government area, when one of the boats capsized midway into their journey, leaving 16 people feared dead.
The boat was said to be carrying about 60 people, mostly women and children with their belongings, trying to cross over to the neighbouring Zumba community when the unfortunate incident occurred.
While some of the victims were rescued, many are still missing, fueling the possibility that the death toll could be more than the 16, whose bodies have been recovered by local divers in the community.
It was gathered that the rescue operation has been temporarily suspended by the locals as the gunmen closed up on the people, forcing them to not only suspend the rescue operation, but also abandoned the 16 bodies earlier recovered at the river bank and flee to safety.
There is no statement from either the government or the state police command at the time of this report.
THEWILL recalls that gunmen had sustained attacks on about 15 communities across three local government areas of Shiroro, Munya and Paikoro, killing an unspecified number of people and abducting over 30 people.
Animals and other properties were stolen from the people, as hundreds have been forced to relocate from their homes.
