Panic spread through Sokoto State on Saturday after many villagers drowned in Sabon Birni Local Government Area while trying to escape from an attack by Lakurawa terrorists.
The Sokoto State Police Command confirmed the accident, saying search and rescue teams are still working to recover missing bodies. The exact number of victims could not be determined, as no one was certain how many passengers were on board.
Eyewitnesses said frightened villagers boarded a boat in a rush to escape armed men who had invaded their communities. The vessel, said to be overloaded, capsized midway and threw everyone into the river. Some were rescued, but many could not be saved.
This marks the fourth deadly boat accident in Sokoto in less than two months, a trend residents link to both insecurity and unsafe water transport. Sabon Birni and nearby towns have been under constant siege by armed gangs and Lakurawa insurgents, who continue to kill, kidnap, and drive people from their homes.
The choice of Sabon Birni as the scene of this latest tragedy has drawn attention because it is the home area of the state’s Deputy Governor, Idris Muhammad Gobir. Locals say the violence has become so widespread that even politically prominent communities are not spared.
Community leaders and civil society groups accuse authorities of neglect, warning that both insecurity and repeated water accidents are causing needless loss of lives. Security analysts fear Sokoto could sink further into crisis if coordinated action is not taken quickly.
Meanwhile, grieving families wait by the riverside as divers and officials search the waters for loved ones, many of whom may never be found alive.