Residents protesting on Sokoto highway
By Abdullahi Abubakar
Bandits have once again attacked another Sokoto community which culminated in protest on Friday by residents of Bodinga Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The protesters blocked a major road and leaving dozens of trucks and other vehicles stranded as they demanded urgent government intervention.
The protest followed a fresh wave of attacks on villages in the area, which residents said had resulted in deaths, displacement of families and the separation of relatives, with some people still searching for missing loved ones.
A video posted online by conflict reporter Bakatsine shows scores of protesters, including youths, barricading both sides of the road with pieces of wood and other objects, preventing the movement of vehicles.
The blockade caused heavy traffic as trucks and other vehicles were forced to stop, leaving many passengers and motorists stranded.
In the footage, the protesters could be heard chanting in Hausa, “Ba ma yi (We don’t want),” expressing their frustration over the worsening security situation in their communities.
The demonstrators said they were protesting to draw the attention of the government and security agencies to the persistent bandit attacks, insisting that they could no longer continue living under constant fear.
According to residents, the renewed attacks have claimed lives, forced many people to flee their homes and torn families apart, with some relatives still unaccounted for following the raids.
The protesters called on the Sokoto State Government and the Federal Government to urgently deploy more security personnel to affected communities and take decisive action to end the recurring attacks.
