Sokoto State witnessed heightened tension on Tuesday after hundreds of residents stormed the Sokoto-Lagos highway in Shagari Local Government Area, protesting what they described as government abandonment in the face of worsening bandit attacks.
The demonstrators, made up of men, women, and children, lamented that rural communities have been left at the mercy of armed groups who continue to terrorize villages unchecked.
“For three days now, these bandits have invaded our villages,” said Malam Kasimu from Rinaye. “They killed three people, kidnapped our community leader and Imam, and took 15 others. Entire villages are deserted.”
From Aske Dodo to Jandutse, Tungar Barke to Zango, once-thriving farming communities now lie in ruins—families displaced, farmlands abandoned, and food insecurity looming.
The anguish of victims was captured in the voice of Rabi Shehu from Jandutse:
“Since the attack, I have not seen my children. We all ran in different directions. I have no food, no shelter, and no idea where my children are,” she cried.
Officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) confirmed the devastation, disclosing that over 30 houses in Shagari town are now overcrowded with displaced villagers. Even traditional rulers were not spared—the District Head of Dundaji, Malam Muhammad Magaji, and the Head of Tungar Barke, Muhammadu Tudu, reportedly lost their homes.
Reacting, the Sokoto State Government, through its Security Adviser, Aminu Bodinga, acknowledged the “unfortunate incidents” and assured residents that action would be taken. However, on the streets of Shagari, many protesters expressed deep distrust in official promises, insisting that urgent and concrete measures are needed to save their communities.
