A story which was published by The Sun Nigeria, PointNG, DailyPost, Linda Ikeji Blog among other online news outlets on March 22, indicated that more than 150 suspected bandits reportedly perished in the Sokoto River.
According to the story, a boat carrying a large number of bandits capsized in a river in Sabon Gida, Sokoto and serious casualties were recorded because many could not swim.
ORIGIN
When WITHIN NIGERIA reviewed and traced the source of the information, it was discovered that it was originally posted on X, a social media platform, on Saturday evening, March 21.
Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency and security expert from Lake Chad, is the first person to share the report on X.
VERIFICATION
A reliable source from the 8th Division of the Nigerian Army in Sokoto confirmed that the report was fake, as there was no such occurrence in the area.
Multiple sources also claimed that troops were present across the areas, and there was no report on boat capsizing bandits.
WITHIN NIGERIA obtained a press statement from the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) refuting claims regarding 150 bandits perishing in a boat mishap in the Sabon Gida region of the Sabon Birni Local Government Area in Sokoto State.
Bello Bala, the NIWA area manager in charge of the Sokoto Zonal Office, dismissed the report, describing it as fake.
According to Bala, there was no such incident, adding that the mentioned river was not navigable.
He appealed to the media to be wary of spreading misinformation and always verify news from credible sources.
He assured that the authority was always readily available to respond and reiterated that NIWA had been engaging riverine communities on safety measures, guidelines, use of life jackets, and other considerations on water usage.
He stressed that if there was such an incident, community members would report to the water users association leaders.
Furthermore, the Sokoto State Police Command denied the claim on Monday, calling it untrue and misleading.
According to the authorities, rivers in the vicinity are currently dry due to the season, rendering them unnavigable and eliminating the chance of such an incident.
The command asked members of the public to exercise caution and avoid disseminating unconfirmed information, particularly on critical security issues.
It also warned that disinformation could exacerbate tensions despite continuing attempts to combat banditry in the region.
VERDICT
The report that 150 bandits drowned in the Sokoto River is fake, misleading, and untrue.
