6 die, 3 missing in Sokoto boat mishap fleeing from bandits
At least six people have died and three others are missing following a boat mishap in the Garin Faji area of Sabon Birni Local Government Area, Sokoto State, as residents fled an attack by suspected bandits. The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday, August 21, around 5.30am, making the second such incident in […]
At least six people have died and three others are missing following a boat mishap in the Garin Faji area of Sabon Birni Local Government Area, Sokoto State, as residents fled an attack by suspected bandits.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday, August 21, around 5.30am, making the second such incident in less than a week.
Just six days earlier, four people lost their lives in a similar accident in the neighbouring Goronyo Local Government Area.
Daily Trust gathered that the victims were among dozens of residents who had taken to the water in a desperate attempt to escape after spotting armed bandits advancing towards their temporary hideout.
A local, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the villagers had been sleeping in nearby bushes to avoid nighttime attacks and were returning home when the tragedy struck.
“Out of fear, many people no longer sleep in their homes. That morning, they were returning when the canoe capsized,” the source said.
Another resident revealed that panic broke out when the villagers saw the bandits approaching, prompting a hurried escape attempt across the water.
“They rushed into the canoe, but it could not carry them all and so capsized midstream,” he said.
Aminu Boza, a member of the Sokoto State House of Assembly representing Sabon Birni, confirmed the incident.
He noted that insecurity has forced many residents to abandon their homes.
“Some communities are now completely deserted. Most men spend the night in the bush and only return home in the morning,” Boza said.
He added that the state government had deployed Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) to Sabon Birni to support security efforts, which he acknowledged have led to some successes.
“Two days ago, security personnel foiled an attack and arrested four suspected bandits. But the area still requires more security presence,” he said.
The Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) also confirmed the accident.
A senior official said 19 people were rescued from the water, while search and rescue operations were ongoing for the three still missing.
“In response, SEMA led a joint assessment visit with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), and the Red Cross to the affected community to confirm the casualties and engage with families of the victims,” the official said.
A comprehensive report on the incident is expected to be jointly released by NEMA, SEMA and NIWA.
The latest incident highlights the growing humanitarian crisis in Sokoto State, where residents in several communities remain displaced due to persistent attacks by armed groups.
It would be recalled that, about two weeks ago, armed bandits loyal to notorious kingpin Bello Turji carried out a series of attacks on communities in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, leaving several people dead and dozens abducted between Wednesday, Aug. 14, and Friday, Aug. 16.
The attacks, according to residents, claimed the lives of villagers, a soldier, and a vigilante member, while the fate of many abducted persons remains unknown.
Eyewitnesses said that the bandits moved from one community to another, abducting residents and causing panic.
“On Wednesday, they laid an ambush for travellers along the Yankasuwa-Masawa road, stopped vehicles and abducted all passengers on board,” one survivor said.
On Thursday, the gunmen attacked Garki village, abducting 16 persons. One was killed, another managed to escape, while three cows were rustled.
The attacks continued on Friday when they raided Turtsawa and Faru villages near Sabon Birni, abducting 28 residents. Families of the missing persons are still searching for their loved ones.
The Movement for Social Justice, a civil society group in Sokoto, confirmed the incidents, noting that their monitoring indicated repeated attacks within four to five days despite peace negotiations claims.
The attack was suspected to be orchestrated by Kallamu, a bandit kingpin loyal to Bello Turji.
“Our reports show multiple attacks in succession. It is possible some incidents have gone unreported. We call on the Sokoto State Government to act swiftly and implement recommendations we have submitted to curb the atrocities of Turji’s fighters,” the group said in a statement.
The civil society organization appealed to government and security agencies to intervene urgently to stop what they described as “unrestrained brutality” in eastern Sokoto.
In August last year, the people of Isa, Sabon Birni, and Shinkafi paid over N100 million to Kachalla Bello Turji to return to their communities and work on their farmlands.
This was disclosed by a resident of Isa Local Government Area, Basharu Altine Guyawa, while speaking to our reporter on the phone.
Speaking on the reduction in bandits’ hostilities in the axis, he said it was because of the heavy levy paid by the residents.
A lawmaker from Sabon Birni local government, Hon. Sa’idu Ibrahim, confirmed that their people had paid the levies imposed on them by Turji before starting working on their farms.
The lawmaker, however, attributed the reduction in bandits’ attacks in Sabon Birni and Isa to the success recorded by the military in recent times.
“The military has succeeded in killing some notable bandits’ leaders who operated along Kwanan Maharba, and since then, there have not been attacks on commuters plying Sabon Birni- Goronyo road,” he added.