No fewer than 150 suspected bandits are feared to have drowned following a boat accident in the Sabon Gida area of Sokoto State, according to local sources.
According to an X post shared by security analyst and counter-insurgency expert, Zagagola Magama, on Sunday, the incident reportedly occurred on Saturday evening when a boat carrying a large number of armed men capsized while attempting to cross a river in the area.
Multiple reports suggest the vessel was heavily loaded at the time of the incident, which may have contributed to the mishap.
It was gathered that the group was traveling in significant numbers when the boat suddenly overturned, throwing all occupants into the water.
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“Preliminary information suggests that many of them could not swim, leading to heavy casualties,” a source said.
Initial reports indicated that none of the occupants survived the incident, although there has been no official confirmation from security agencies as at the time of filing this report.
The development has deal a significant blow to criminal groups operating in parts of the North-West region.