Several residents of Zalla Bango, a remote community in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, have drowned after a boat carrying them capsized while they were fleeing renewed bandit attacks.
The tragic incident occurred on Thursday evening, September 18, shortly after the Maghrib prayer. Eyewitnesses reported that the wooden boat struck the edge of a collapsed culvert along the Goronyo–Sabon Birni road, causing it to crack and sink.
Most of the victims were women attempting to cross the river in a desperate bid to escape an anticipated raid by armed men.
“Many people now risk dangerous river crossings just to get to areas they believe are safer and beyond the reach of bandits,” a local source told Daily Trust.
This is not the first time such an incident has occurred in the area. “Similar accidents have been recorded in recent months due to rising insecurity,” another resident said.
Confirming the tragedy, Sabon Birni Local Government Chairman, Alhaji Ayuba Hashimu, said that rescue efforts were ongoing and that the exact number of casualties was yet to be determined.
“As of this morning, only one body—that of a woman—has been recovered,” Hashimu said. “The accident happened as villagers tried to cross the river to escape attacks. The boat struck a damaged culvert, broke apart, and sank. We are continuing efforts to rescue survivors and recover the dead.”
He noted that just a day before the incident, the Sokoto State Government had distributed motorised boats and life jackets to several flood-prone local councils, including Sabon Birni, as part of safety measures.
Thursday’s tragedy adds to a growing list of deadly incidents linked to insecurity in the region. Last month, six people drowned in Garin Faji while fleeing a terrorist attack after their boat capsized.
In another recent attack, six villagers were killed in Kwanar Kimba community after they confronted invading gunmen. Sa’idu Ibrahim, the member representing Sabon Birni constituency in the Sokoto State House of Assembly, confirmed the killings and visited the village to console the bereaved families.
Sabon Birni and neighbouring communities in Sokoto East have endured relentless assaults by armed groups, forcing residents to abandon their homes or face life-threatening escape attempts such as this one.
