Give us weapons to defend ourselves, Sokoto residents tell gov’t
Residents of Kebbe Local Government Area in Sokoto State have appealed to the government to grant them the right to bear arms so they can defend themselves against bandit attacks that have ravaged their communities. The residents said they were tired of the incessant killings, kidnappings, and destruction of their villages by armed groups, which […]
Residents of Kebbe Local Government Area in Sokoto State have appealed to the government to grant them the right to bear arms so they can defend themselves against bandit attacks that have ravaged their communities.
The residents said they were tired of the incessant killings, kidnappings, and destruction of their villages by armed groups, which have caused them enormous hardship and losses.
According to them, out of the 17 communities in Kebbe Local Government Area, bandits have already displaced residents from at least 11, following repeated attacks.
One of the community leaders, Tukur Muhammad Fakum, told the BBC that the situation had reached a breaking point, leaving them with no option but to seek ways to protect themselves.
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He said, “We are now holding meetings. Those with small farms have sold them, and those with small houses have sold them, too. If we can buy guns, we’ll give them to our youth so they can try to protect us.
“The government should protect us, but if it cannot, then it should allow us to own weapons so our youths can defend their lives and communities,” Tukur Muhammad Fakum added.
Speaking on the extent of the devastation, Fakum said: “There is no food. People who have never spent the night in a mosque are now forced to sleep there. You wake up and move to a place you’ve never been before just to find safety. The situation is terrible.”
He explained that the insecurity had crippled nearly all economic activities in the area.
Efforts by the BBC to get comments from government officials and security agencies were unsuccessful at the time of filing the report.
Sokoto State is among the worst-hit by banditry in recent years, with recurring attacks in Isa, Sabon Birni, and Kebbe local government areas.
Apart from bandits loyal to Bello Turji, who operate widely across the state, a new militia group known as the Lakurawa fighters recently emerged – a development security analysts warn could become a new threat to Sokoto and the entire North West region.