Musa Na-Allah, Sokoto
The wave of banditry sweeping through Sokoto State has escalated to alarming levels, with armed groups now controlling 16 out of the state’s 23 local government areas.
The violence has left communities displaced, traumatized, and desperate for help.
On Monday evening, the crisis reached a breaking point when hundreds of residents from Shagari Local Government Area staged a mass protest along the Sokoto–Lagos Trunk A highway.
The demonstrators, including men, women, and children, accused the government of abandonment and demanded urgent security intervention after days of continuous killings and abductions.
Barefoot and visibly distressed, the protesters carried placards and chanted slogans of anguish. Many described life under the siege of armed gangs as “hell on earth.”
“We are left to die in the hands of these bandits,” said Malam Garba, a resident of Rinaye village. “For three consecutive days, they attacked our communities.
“They killed three people, kidnapped our Imam and community leader, and destroyed everything we had.”
Garba added that the marauders struck Aske Dodo, Tungar Barke, and Jandutse villages over the weekend, killing at least two people and abducting more than 15 others.
“Entire villages are deserted. People have abandoned their homes, their farms, and everything they worked for,” he lamented.
Among the displaced is 35-year-old Fatima Balarabe, a mother of seven from Tungar Barke. With tears streaming down her face, she recounted her ordeal:
“During the attack, we all scattered. I have not seen my children since then. I have no food, no shelter, and no idea if my children are alive or dead. All we want is peace so we can return home.”
Officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) have confirmed the scale of devastation.
During an assessment, they visited more than 30 homes hosting displaced persons and met with traditional rulers, including the District Head of Dundaji, Malam Muhammad Bello Magaji, and the Head of Tungar Barke, Muhammadu Tudu, both of whom have also been forced from their homes.
Communities such as Lungu, Tungar-Doruwa, Zango, Yan Yandu, Tungar Na’anza, and Ila have been reduced to ruins.
Survivors told of mass killings, abductions, and the destruction of farmlands, sparking fears of worsening food shortages and deepening economic collapse across the state.
In a joint statement, NEMA and SEMA appealed for the immediate deployment of security forces to reclaim the affected areas.
They also called on state and federal authorities to provide urgent relief, including food, medical supplies, and temporary shelters.
Efforts to reach the Chairman of Shagari Local Government, Mr. Maidawa, were unsuccessful, fueling public anger. Residents accused local leaders of abandoning them at their most critical hour.
The Special Adviser to Governor Ahmed Aliyu on Security Matters, Hon. Aminu Liman Bodinga, acknowledged the “unfortunate incidents” and confirmed the protests in Shagari.
He assured that government was working to restore peace, but residents expressed skepticism, saying official promises have become routine while blood continues to flow.
With bandits operating freely in 16 of Sokoto’s 23 LGAs, once-thriving farming and trading communities are rapidly becoming ghost towns.
For many residents, survival now hinges on urgent government action to reclaim their villages and restore security.
