Sokoto Youths Threaten Self Defence Over Rising Insecurity

Youths in Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State have warned that they may resort to armed self-defence following months of persistent bandit attacks and kidnappings that have devastated their communities.

Their decision came after an online meeting where young people voiced anger over what they described as government failure to protect lives and property. According to the group, bandit raids have forced families from their homes, destroyed farms, and left many residents living in constant fear.

Bello Bala Shagari, a youth activist and grandson of former President Shehu Shagari, said the worsening insecurity had pushed the community to a “last-resort decision” to defend themselves. He noted that while the preference remained peace, residents could no longer watch helplessly as people were killed and property destroyed daily.

The youths urged both the Sokoto State Government and the Federal Government to send more security personnel to Shagari and nearby local governments, insisting that only immediate action could restore confidence and prevent the crisis from spiralling further.

Analysts, however, caution that such a move could deepen violence. Past examples in Zamfara and Katsina, where vigilante groups known as Yan Sakai took up arms, often led to cycles of reprisal attacks that worsened insecurity.

Sokoto, like other North-West states, has endured years of banditry marked by mass abductions and deadly raids. Reports from conflict monitors show that thousands have been displaced and hundreds killed since 2021. Notable incidents include the abduction of 279 schoolgirls in Zamfara, the kidnapping of dozens of students in Niger State, and the killing of more than 40 travellers in Sokoto’s Sabon Birni.

Despite military operations such as Operation Hadarin Daji, insecurity remains widespread, with rural communities accusing authorities of neglect and abandonment. Civil rights organisations have also documented cases of extortion, forced levies, and killings by armed groups across the region.

The warning from Shagari youths adds to growing calls for stronger community protection measures as confidence in government security responses continues to weaken.