One Shot, Others Injured As Sokoto Residents Protest Renewed Bandit Attacks

Residents displaced by bandit attacks in parts of Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State blocked major roads on Friday as they protested repeated killings and kidnappings in their communities, Naija News reports.

The protesters, who were said to have fled villages including Margai, Girkau, Romon Liman, Romon Sarki and Masu, demanded urgent deployment of security personnel to protect residents and allow them to return home.

According to Daily Trust, a resident who witnessed the protest said the demonstrators blocked the Tambuwal-Jega and Tambuwal-Aleiro roads in the morning and remained there until about 1pm.

According to him, the protesters were angry over repeated attacks that had forced them to abandon their homes with their families.

The media platform claimed to have obtained videos from the protest showing a large number of youths chanting, “We want justice,” while some protesters were seen burning tyres.

The resident also said an All Progressives Congress (APC) office was later set on fire during the protest, although the videos did not show the building being burnt.

He insisted that the protesters were not members of opposition political parties.

A person was also reportedly shot during the protest.

One of those injured, a young man identified as Usama Ibrahim, said he was shot in the thigh and alleged that security personnel fired the shot.

The residents said continued attacks and abductions had made farming and other economic activities difficult in Tambuwal and parts of neighbouring Kebbe Local Government Area.

Many residents, they said, had been forced to leave their communities and move to Tambuwal town for safety.

The protesters called on the Federal Government and Sokoto State Government to urgently improve security in the affected areas and create conditions for displaced residents to return home.

Meanwhile, the Sokoto State Police Command said it deployed personnel to the area after the protest began.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Rufai, said the situation was brought under control before the protest ended.