Fear and heartbreak swept through Sokoto State after dozens of villagers lost their lives in a boat accident while fleeing a fresh wave of terrorist attacks in Sabon Birni.
According to locals, desperate families had rushed to escape through the waterways when their overloaded boat capsized mid-river, plunging many into the water. Rescue efforts are still ongoing, but many remain missing.
This marks the fourth deadly boat mishap in just two months, adding to the humanitarian crisis caused by relentless violence. Residents of Sabon Birni and nearby communities continue to live under siege—terror groups have been mounting checkpoints, burning farmlands, killing, abducting, and displacing countless families.
The tragedy has sparked outrage among civil society groups, who accuse authorities of neglecting both the worsening insecurity and the unsafe transport conditions that now claim innocent lives almost weekly.
Locals say this disaster, occurring in the Deputy Governor’s hometown, underscores a harsh truth: insecurity in Sokoto spares no one.
For now, families wait anxiously by the riverbanks—praying, grieving, and hoping their loved ones are found.
