NIWA debunks report of 150 bandits drowning in Sokoto river

The National Inland Waterways Authority has dismissed reports claiming that about 150 bandits drowned in a boat accident in Sokoto State, describing the information as false and misleading.

The agency’s Sokoto Area Manager, Bello Bala, said no such incident occurred in Sabon Gida, Sabon Birni Local Government Area, as widely circulated. He added that the river mentioned in the report is not navigable, raising further doubts about the claim.

Bala urged media organisations to verify sensitive security-related information before publication, noting that any such incident would have been reported through established local waterway structures, including community leaders and water users’ associations.

He also stated that the agency continues to sensitise riverine communities on safety practices, including the use of life jackets and adherence to water transport regulations.

Similarly, a source within the Nigerian Army’s 8 Division in Sokoto dismissed the report, confirming that troops in the area recorded no such occurrence and that no boat mishap involving bandits had been reported.

The source added that security presence in the area remains active, maintaining surveillance across the axis.