By Charles Pemu 
A wave of banditry in Sokoto State has reached an alarming level, with criminal gangs reportedly tightening their deadly grip on 16 of the state’s 23 local government areas. This has left residents devastated, displaced, and increasingly hopeless.
On Monday, hundreds of men, women, and children from Shagari Local Government Area staged a mass protest, blocking the Sokoto–Lagos highway. They voiced their anger over relentless attacks that have crippled their communities and demanded urgent government action to end the killings and abductions.
The displaced residents, some barefoot and visibly traumatized, poured into Shagari town, the LGA headquarters, chanting slogans of frustration as they recounted their harrowing ordeals. They accused the government of abandoning them to “bloodthirsty gangs who roam their villages unhindered.”
Malam Kasimu, a resident of Rinaye village, explained that the protest was a last resort. “For three consecutive days, bandits have been invading our villages,” he lamented. “They kidnapped our community leader and our Imam after killing three people over the weekend.” He added that attacks on other villages had left at least two people dead and 15 abducted, forcing many to flee and desert their homes and farmlands.
Rabi Shehu, a mother of five from Jandutse village, tearfully shared her experience. “Since the attack, I have not been able to locate my children. We all ran in different directions to escape the gunmen. Now I have nothing to eat, no shelter, and no idea where my children are. We just want peace and security to return home,” she pleaded.
The scale of the devastation has been confirmed by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). Officials from both agencies visited about 30 homes currently sheltering displaced persons and met with traditional rulers, including two who have themselves been displaced.
In a joint statement, NEMA and SEMA urgently appealed to the state and federal governments to deploy adequate security personnel and provide immediate relief materials.
While the Special Adviser to the Sokoto State Governor on Security Matters, Hon. Aminu Liman Bodinga, confirmed the “unfortunate happenings” and assured that the government was taking steps to restore peace, residents remain skeptical. The fact that bandits now operate with impunity in more than two-thirds of the state’s LGAs paints a grim picture of a state under siege. Communities that once thrived on farming are now ghost settlements, with families scattered and livelihoods destroyed, raising fears of worsening hunger and economic collapse.