Boat Capsizes in Sokoto as Women Flee Bandit Terror – Scores Feared Drowned

By Emmanuel Kwada

In a heart-wrenching tragedy that underscores the relentless grip of banditry on northern Nigeria, a boat packed with terrified women fleeing a savage bandit attack has capsized in Sokoto State, leaving many passengers feared dead in the murky waters of a swollen river.

The incident, which unfolded under the cover of darkness on Thursday evening, has plunged riverine communities into deeper despair, with rescue teams scrambling against the odds to pull survivors from the wreckage.

They were running for their lives, mothers clutching babies, sisters holding hands, all in a frantic bid to cross the river

Eyewitnesses described a scene of pure pandemonium around 7:30 pm, as the overloaded vessel – carrying predominantly women desperate to evade armed raiders – struck the jagged edge of a culvert and flipped violently.

“They were running for their lives, mothers clutching babies, sisters holding hands, all in a frantic bid to cross the river,” recounted a local fisherman who witnessed the chaos from the opposite bank. “The bandits’ gunfire echoed in the distance, and in their haste, the boat hit the barrier. Screams filled the night before the waters swallowed them.”

The boat, a makeshift wooden canoe commonly used in the flood-prone floodplains of Sokoto’s riverine areas, was reportedly ferrying dozens from vulnerable villages in the Goronyo or nearby local government areas – hotspots for bandit incursions that have displaced thousands this year.

Preliminary reports suggest at least 20-30 women were aboard, though the exact number remains unconfirmed amid the confusion. As the vessel overturned, panicked passengers were hurled into the fast-flowing, debris-littered river, exacerbated by seasonal rains that have turned these waterways into treacherous deathtraps.

The bandits’ gunfire echoed in the distance, and in their haste, the boat hit the barrier. Screams filled the night before the waters swallowed them

Rescue operations kicked into high gear immediately, with local divers, the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) teams deploying boats and spotlights to comb the area. By early Friday morning, a handful of survivors had been pulled ashore, shivering and traumatized, but officials warned the death toll could climb significantly as searches continue through the day.

“We’re working around the clock, but the currents are strong, and visibility is poor,” said a SEMA spokesperson, urging communities to stay vigilant. No official casualty figures have been released, but sources on the ground whisper of “many bodies” recovered, with others still missing beneath the surface.