Tambuwal Residents Protest Attacks, Demand Urgent Security Action
By Fahad Faruk Galadanchi
Residents of Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State took to the streets on Friday to protest repeated attacks and kidnappings, warning that the worsening security situation was threatening lives, farming and trade.
The protest brought together residents from several communities across the local government area following a series of raids and abductions in vulnerable settlements.
The protesters called on the Federal and Sokoto State Governments to take urgent steps to protect rural communities and restore public confidence.
They demanded the deployment of additional security personnel and equipment to exposed areas, sustained patrols, improved intelligence gathering and closer coordination among the military, police and other security agencies.
According to the residents, farmers, traders and rural households are increasingly unable to move freely to their farms and markets without fear of attack or abduction.
They also warned that continued insecurity could reduce agricultural production, disrupt local trade and force more residents to abandon their ancestral lands.
The Sokoto State Police Command said it was aware of the situation.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police Ahmad Rufai, said security operatives were “on top of the situation,” adding that they were monitoring developments and taking steps to protect lives and property.
However, the residents’ protest underscores the growing gap between official assurances and the daily realities faced by communities exposed to banditry and kidnapping.
For the people of Tambuwal, the effectiveness of any security response will ultimately be measured by whether they can sleep safely, return to their farms and travel to markets without fearing they may not come home.
