The police in Sokoto have confirmed that 10 people lost their lives in a boat accident in the Sabon Birni Local Government Area of the state.
The victims were reportedly fleeing an impending bandit attack in Zalla Bango, a remote village in the area, when the incident occurred.
While officials from both the national and state emergency management agencies have not yet commented on the accident, Sokoto State Police Command spokesman, DSP Ahmed Rufai, confirmed that the victims drowned during their escape.
Rufai stated that the bodies of all 10 victims were recovered and laid to rest according to Islamic rites last Friday.
“The incident occurred as the villagers attempted to escape from bandits. Unfortunately, all 10 passengers on board drowned, and their bodies were recovered and buried accordingly,” he explained.
The Chairman of Sabon Birni Local Government Area, Alhaji Ayuba Hashimu, confirmed that efforts were still underway to verify the exact number of casualties.
After visiting the scene, Hashimu explained that the accident happened while villagers were desperately trying to cross a river to escape a fresh wave of attacks.
“The boat struck the edge of a collapsed culvert, which caused it to break apart and sink,” he said. “We are doing everything possible to rescue any survivors and recover the bodies of the deceased.”
Meanwhile, the police confirmed a separate attack in the Tangaza Local Government Area, where terrorists from the Lakurawa group killed 47-year-old village head Murtala Sa’adu and his neighbor, Ibrahim Maikudi.
Recurring boat accidents in Sokoto
Boat accidents have been a persistent problem in Sokoto, often linked to residents fleeing attacks by bandits. In August, a boat accident in the Shagari Local Government Area claimed the life of a 29-year-old, with several passengers feared missing.
In the same month, another boat capsized in Garin Faji, Sabon Birni, resulting in six deaths and three people missing. The tragedy occurred as residents tried to escape an attack by suspected bandits. Nineteen other passengers were rescued.
