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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

Banditry protests block Nigeria highway, stranding travelers

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Commuters on the Mokwa-Bida highway in Nigeria are stranded as residents protest persistent banditry and block the road.
  • Protesters claim recent bandit attacks have led to the abduction of 15 residents, who have not been rescued by security agencies.
  • Travelers expressed frustration over the prolonged blockade, urging for urgent government intervention to ensure safety and the release of abductees.

The vital Mokwa-Bida highway, a critical federal corridor connecting Nigeria's Southwest to the North, has become a scene of disruption as angry residents block all entry points into Mokwa. Commuters have been stranded since Saturday night, caught in a protest against persistent banditry in the region.

Protesters, including Saliu Mohammed, allege that suspected bandits recently abducted 15 residents from the community. Mohammed stated that security agencies have failed to rescue the victims and vowed to sustain the protest until the abductees are freed. The claims of the abductions could not be independently verified.

Our surveillance and investigation show that the person who died of JE infection was unvaccinated.

— Saliu MohammedClaiming that suspected bandits recently abducted 15 residents of the community.

Travelers heading towards Abuja from Ilorin described harrowing experiences, with one commuter, Joy Amaechi, lamenting spending five hours at Mokwa with no resolution in sight. She appealed for immediate government intervention to secure the release of the kidnapped individuals and restore safety to the route. A driver for a popular mass transit company reported arriving at Mokwa at 7 a.m. on Sunday, with the blockade still in effect hours later.

The Mokwa-Bida highway is a crucial artery for commerce and travel, and the ongoing blockade highlights the severe security challenges faced in parts of Nigeria. The protest underscores the growing frustration among communities affected by banditry and the demand for effective action from authorities to ensure the safety of citizens and the unimpeded flow of traffic.

She called for urgent government intervention to rescue the victims.

— Joy AmaechiA commuter stranded on the highway, expressing her plea for help.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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