Tension has heightened in Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State following fresh banditry attacks that left several people dead, scores abducted, and hundreds displaced, amid warnings of possible reprisal attacks by angry residents.
Bandits have in the past days launched attacks on Aske Dodo, Tungar Barke, and Jandutse villages, killing no fewer than three people, abducting several others.
Protesting the latest attacks, dozens of men, women, and children in Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Wednesday staged a mass protest, blocking the Sokoto–Lagos trunk A highway.
In a statement on Wednesday, member representing Yabo-Shagari federal constituency, Umar Yabo, warned that unless urgent measures were taken, the growing frustration among victims could degenerate into ethnic conflict.
Yabo said, “There is a growing sense of frustration and fear among residents. Some victims are beginning to consider taking retaliatory action against the Fulani communities living among them, which could escalate into an ethnic conflict of dangerous proportions.”
Yabo called on the Sokoto State Government and the Federal Government to urgently address the worsening security crisis threatening lives and livelihoods in his constituency.
He urged the immediate deployment of security forces, stronger intelligence gathering, and targeted operations to flush out criminal elements hiding in forests and rural settlements.
The lawmaker also appealed to the National Emergency Management Agency and other humanitarian bodies to urgently provide relief materials to displaced families now sheltering in makeshift camps.
Amid the fears of reprisal attacks, Sokoto State Deputy Governor, Idris Gobir, on Wednesday led a combined team of security personnel to Wanke village in Shagari LGA, following reports of a bandit invasion that forced residents to flee their homes.
According to a statement signed by the Director of Press Affairs in the Deputy Governor’s Office, Garba Mohammed, the visit followed appeals from hundreds of displaced persons during an earlier sympathy visit.
“When the team arrived in Wanke, the village was completely deserted, while the suspected bandits had fled the area,” the statement read.
While addressing the displaced persons, Gobir expressed sympathy for their plight and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to tackling insecurity.
He announced plans to identify a suitable location for the establishment of a military camp in the area to curb the activities of bandits and restore peace.
The Deputy Governor announced the donation of three trucks of grain to assist the victims.
Earlier, the Chairman of Shagari Local Government Area, Muhammad Maidawa, hailed the state government for its swift response and intervention.
Meanwhile, the Sokoto State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party condemned what it described as “senseless” attacks in Shagari and other communities.
In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Hassan Sahabi Sanyinnawal, the party listed affected villages as Aske Dodo, Tungar Barke, Jandutse, Lungu, Tungar Doruwa, Zango, Yan Yandu, Tungar Na’anza, and Ila.
The PDP urged the government to prioritise the safety of citizens by deploying adequate security personnel and redirecting state resources from “non-essential projects” toward tackling insecurity and supporting victims.
“We call for a thorough investigation into these attacks to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice. We stand in solidarity with the affected communities and pray for the safe release of the abducted persons and the restoration of peace across Sokoto State,” the statement read.
