13 killed in Nigerian ferry accident, rescue hindered by bandits

At least 13 people have died in a ferry accident in Niger State, Northern Nigeria, on Sunday, authorities have confirmed.

The incident involved a boat transporting 39 passengers and 50 bags of rice to the popular Zumba Market, which capsized mid‑journey, Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said in a statement on X Monday morning.

Among the 13 fatalities were 8 women, 3 men, and 2 children. The boat driver and the remaining 25 passengers were rescued, the Agency said. 

Niger state has seen a surge in 'bandit' gang violence in recent months, which has complicated rescue operations, Ibrahim Hussaini, an official with NEMA told AP.

"Very few people can go to the scene because of banditry in that area," he said.

On Friday, troops of the Nigerian army killed 45 gang members in Shiroro - the municipality where  Zumba market is located, according to TheCable, a local media outlet. 

The operation was launched on Friday evening after authorities intercepted intelligence about a large group of terrorists advancing on motorcycles to attack several local communities, the media reported. 

Bandits have waged "terrifying attacks on rural communities" in Northern Nigeria for years, Amnesty International has reported.

The gangs are known to enter villages on motorbikes, where they shoot sporadically at victims, set houses on fire, steal cattle and abduct villagers for ransom, the NGO stated.