Zamfara:  At least 13 people drowned after a boat carrying villagers fleeing armed men capsized in Zamfara State, northwest Nigeria, on Friday afternoon. Local officials confirmed that the boat, overloaded with people escaping a sudden assault on their communities in Birnin Magaji ward, overturned in the river, leaving dozens dead or missing.

According to district head Maidamma Dankilo, 13 bodies have been recovered so far, while 22 people were rescued alive. Another 22 remain unaccounted for. Among the dead were children, including the son and nieces of local health worker Shehu Mohammed, who described the incident as a devastating loss for his family.

The tragedy occurred against the backdrop of rising insecurity in Zamfara and surrounding states, where heavily armed groups regularly raid villages, kidnap residents, and extort ransom payments. Data from Lagos-based SBM Intelligence indicates that at least 1,064 people were abducted in 50 separate mass kidnappings between July 2024 and June 2025.

The river disaster is only one of several crises unfolding in northwest Nigeria. In Zamfara’s Bukkuyum district, a cholera outbreak has killed at least eight people and infected more than 200 across 11 rural communities. Limited access to clean water and healthcare has worsened the situation, with many patients forced to remain at home because insecurity prevents travel to hospitals. Community leaders have called for immediate government intervention to deploy emergency medical teams and treatment centers.

Elsewhere in the region, mass killings have further destabilized communities. In Katsina State, at least 50 civilians were killed this week when armed men stormed Unguwan Mantau village, killing 30 worshippers inside a mosque and burning another 20 villagers alive in their homes. The attack follows a similar assault in which 13 worshippers were killed during morning prayers in another mosque. Authorities have since deployed additional police and military units, but residents remain fearful of further violence.

The combination of violence, displacement, and disease is deepening the humanitarian crisis in northwest Nigeria. Security analysts warn that unless urgent steps are taken to strengthen local security, provide safe evacuation routes, and improve medical response, civilians will continue to face life-threatening risks both from armed groups and from preventable health emergencies.