Sokoto boat disaster: Bandits target families compensated for boat mishap, kill 4

Bandits have killed four people and abducted four others in Gorau community, Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State — targeting families who received N1 million government relief donations following a boat disaster that killed 65 people just six days earlier.

As reported by Daily Trust, the attack occurred around 9pm on Wednesday, with assailants going house to house demanding to know where the relief money was kept. Village head Alhaji Aliyu Magaji Na-Batsami confirmed 11 people were shot, four fatally — identified as Bashar Sani, Ila Malam Makeri, Isa Ibrahim and Ali Aminu.

“They came because of the money donated to the families of the victims of the recent boat mishap in our community,” the traditional ruler said, adding that swift security intervention prevented further casualties.

The attack deepens an already catastrophic week for Gorau, where the earlier boat capsize — which killed many children, mostly girls — had already left dozens of families bereaved and traumatised.