ABUJA, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Scores of persons got drowned after two canoes overturned in Nigeria's northern state of Zamfara on Wednesday evening, official and local sources said on Thursday.
The incident occurred as the victims were fleeing from suspected bandits who invaded Birnin Waje, a riverine community in the Bukkuyum local government area of Zamfara on Wednesday evening, Ibrahim Bello Zauma, a spokesman for Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara, said in a statement reaching Xinhua.
Zauma said most of the drowned were women and children and he attributed the incident to an overload of the two canoes.
Local divers have been deployed to the rescue operation, he said, noting it is currently difficult to ascertain the total number of people died in the incident.
According to sources quoted by local media, at least 30 people lost their lives in the accident. ■
