The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and the Nigerian Army have dismissed viral reports claiming that 150 bandits drowned in a boat mishap in Sokoto State, labeling the story a “recycled fabrication” from non-navigable waters
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has officially debunked widely circulated reports alleging that approximately 150 bandits drowned after their boat capsized in the Sabon Gida area of Sabon Birni Local Government Area, Sokoto State. Speaking in an interview on Monday, March 23, 2026, the NIWA Area Manager for the Sokoto Zonal Office, Mr. Bello Bala, dismissed the claims as “fake” and “misleading.” Bala clarified that no such incident occurred and pointed out a significant geographical flaw in the report: the river mentioned in the Sabon Gida axis is currently not navigable, especially during the dry season. “The mentioned river was not navigable,” Bala stated, emphasizing that community-led water users’ associations would have reported such an event if it were true.
The Nigerian Army’s 8 Division in Sokoto further corroborated NIWA’s stance, describing the news as a recycled fabrication that has periodically resurfaced on social media for nearly a decade. A military source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, noted that troops stationed across the eastern axis of Sokoto have recorded no such maritime disaster. Security analysts added that armed groups in the region typically rely on motorcycles and forest footpaths rather than water transport, which is nearly impossible in that specific corridor at this time of year. “The news circulating that over 150 bandits drowned in a boat mishap in Sabon Gida area is a fake report,” the source confirmed, urging the public to disregard the sensationalist claims.
Mr. Bala used the opportunity to appeal to media organizations to exercise caution and verify sensitive security information from credible sources before publication. He reiterated that NIWA remains actively engaged with riverine communities, providing safety guidelines and life jackets, and would be the first to respond to any legitimate waterway emergency. While the drowning report was false, security operations in the state remain intense; separately, troops recently neutralized several bandits in a fierce encounter at Bello Turji’s hideouts in the Fakai community, signaling that the actual military focus remains on ground-based forest clearing rather than aquatic mishaps.
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