By Musa Ubandawaki, Sokoto
SOKOTO – Security authorities and analysts have dismissed as false a viral social media report alleging that a boat carrying about 150 armed bandits capsized in Sabon Gida community in Sokoto East.
They described the claim as a recycled fabrication that has circulated online for years and lacks factual and geographical credibility.
A security analyst, Bashir Altine Guyawa, said the report was implausible, noting that there is no river in the eastern axis of Sokoto State capable of supporting boat or canoe transportation, especially during the dry season.
According to him, armed groups operating in the area typically rely on motorcycles and footpaths rather than waterways.
“There is no navigable river in Sokoto East that bandits could use with boats or canoes at this time. Their usual mode of movement is motorcycles and trekking through forest footpaths, often in convoys,” he said.
Guyawa added that the narrative is not new, describing it as an old misinformation campaign that has resurfaced on social media platforms.
“The same story has been circulating online for almost a decade. It has no factual basis,” he said.
The Sokoto State Police Command also dismissed the report, urging the public to disregard it.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Rufae Ahmed, described the alleged incident as fake and unfounded.
He explained that rivers across Sokoto, particularly in the eastern part of the state, are largely not navigable during the dry season.
“The report about bandits capsizing in a boat in Sokoto East is false. Rivers in that axis are not navigable at this period; they only become so during the rainy season,” he said.
Ahmed cautioned against the spread of unverified security information, warning that misinformation could cause unnecessary panic and undermine ongoing security efforts.
Authorities advised residents to rely on verified information from official security agencies and credible media platforms for updates on security developments in Sokoto State and the wider North-West region.
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