An undetermined number of inhabitants from Zalla Bango, a secluded village within the Sabon Birni local government area of Sokoto State, have tragically perished in a boat-accident/” title=”… Strikes Again: Another … Mishap Rocks Sokoto”>boat accident while attempting to escape renewed bandit raids.
The calamity unfolded on the evening of Thursday, September 18, shortly after Maghrib prayers, when a wooden vessel ferrying fleeing villagers collided with the remains of a broken culvert along the Goronyo-Sabon Birni highway.
According to eyewitness accounts, the collision caused the boat to fracture and eventually sink. A majority of those affected were women who had boarded the boat in a desperate bid to cross the river and evade an imminent bandit assault.
“Numerous locals have taken to fleeing their homes, crossing waterways to reach areas considered safer and less accessible to bandits,” a community insider revealed to journalists.
Another resident remarked, “This is not the first such tragedy we have endured this year. Similar incidents have occurred in recent months as insecurity continues to escalate.”
Alhaji Ayuba Hashimu, chairman of Sabon Birni local government, confirmed the incident but noted that the exact death toll remains under investigation.
“As of this morning, only one female victim’s body has been recovered from the river,” he stated.
He elaborated that the accident happened amid frantic efforts by villagers to cross the river and avoid another wave of bandit attacks.
“The boat struck the edge of a collapsed culvert, causing it to break apart and sink. We are actively engaged in rescue operations and recovering the deceased,” Hashimu added.
The chairman also mentioned that motorized boats and life jackets, recently procured by the Sokoto State Government for flood-prone areas including Sabon Birni, had been distributed just a day prior to the mishap.
This latest tragedy compounds a series of fatal incidents linked to the region’s deteriorating security situation.
In a similar event last month, six individuals drowned in Garin Faji, another community in Sabon Birni, when a boat capsized as villagers fled a terrorist attack. Additionally, bandits assaulted Kwanar Kimba Village last week, resulting in six fatalities.
Sa’idu Ibrahim, the Sabon Birni representative in the Sokoto State House of Assembly, confirmed the recent attack.
“The villagers attempted to defend themselves, leading to a clash with the armed assailants. Sadly, six people lost their lives before the attackers retreated. I have just returned from the village to offer condolences to the bereaved families,” he said.
Sabon Birni and its neighboring communities in Sokoto East have been repeatedly targeted by armed groups, compelling many residents to abandon their homes or undertake dangerous river crossings in search of refuge.
While rescue operations continue, this incident underscores the lethal impact of the escalating security crisis in the area.
