Hundreds of residents from the Shagari Local Government Area in Sokoto State took to the streets on Monday evening, blocking the Sokoto-Lagos trunk highway to express their frustration and anger over the relentless banditry attacks that have crippled their communities. The protesters including men, women, and children, demanded urgent government action to stem the tide of killings and abductions. The protesters, some of whom were barefoot and visibly traumatised, poured into Shagari town, the LGA headquarters, chanting slogans of frustration as they narrated their ordeal. They accused the government of abandoning them to the mercy of bloodthirsty gangs who roam their villages unhindered. Malam Kasimu, a resident of Rinaye village, explained that the incessant government neglect has pushed them to the streets in protest. "For three consecutive days, bandits have been invading our villages. They kidnapped our community leader and our Imam after killing three people over the weekend," he lamented. Rabi Shehu, a mother of five from Jandutse village, recounted her harrowing experience. "Since the attack, I have not been able to locate my children. We all ran in different directions to escape the gunmen. Now I have nothing to eat, no shelter, and no idea where my children are. We just want peace and security to return home," she cried. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) have confirmed the scale of devastation. Officials from both agencies visited about 30 homes currently sheltering displaced persons and held discussions with traditional rulers. In a joint statement, NEMA and SEMA urgently appealed to the state and federal governments to deploy adequate security personnel to the affected areas and provide food, medical supplies, and relief materials to the traumatised population. The Special Adviser to the Sokoto State Governor on Security Matters, Hon. Aminu Liman Bodinga, confirmed the "unfortunate happenings" in the affected communities and acknowledged the protests in Shagari. He assured that the government was taking steps to restore peace, though residents remain skeptical given the scale of destruction already recorded. The situation in Sokoto State is dire, with bandits operating with impunity in 16 of the state's 23 LGAs. Communities that once bustled with farming and trade are now wastelands, with families scattered, children missing, and hope fading. The residents are united in their plea: the government must rise decisively against this menace or risk watching entire communities erased by bandits.