Residents of Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State have staged a peaceful protest in New Bussa over rising insecurity, killings, kidnappings and the poor condition of roads and other infrastructure in the area.
The protest, organised by the Borgu Youth Development Association, attracted residents and youth representatives who called on the government to take urgent steps to protect communities and rescue people allegedly abducted into the forest.
The protesters also demanded the repair of a bridge linking Borgu with the Ningi area, neighbouring communities and Agwara Local Government Area, as well as the rehabilitation of major roads connecting the area to other parts of the country.
Speaking during the protest, President of the Borgu Youth Development Association, Abdullahi Yahaya Sadauki, said insecurity had continued to affect residents through killings, kidnappings and attacks on communities.
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He said a recent incident in Dekara had heightened concerns after hundreds of people who gathered for Friday prayers were allegedly attacked.
According to Sadauki, more than 500 people were reportedly rounded up during the incident, although he said the exact number of people abducted had not been established.
He explained that residents from several communities, including Gbenzi, Kaya and Gasuwan Garuwa, had gathered in Dekara for the prayers when the incident occurred.
Sadauki said some people were allegedly taken away, while others were killed and some managed to escape.
He added that efforts were being made to verify the number of people affected by the incident, noting that the community was yet to establish the exact figure.
The youth leader said young people had been particularly affected by the insecurity, with many reportedly killed or abducted.
He said residents decided to protest because repeated incidents of violence had created fear and frustration across the communities.
Sadauki also expressed concern over a bridge connecting the Borgu local government headquarters to Ningi and other communities, saying the structure had remained damaged for almost a year.
He said repeated appeals for the bridge to be repaired had not produced the desired result.
According to him, the poor condition of the bridge had made movement difficult and could expose travellers to security risks.
He also identified the Makwa road as a major route into Borgu and lamented its deteriorated condition.
Sadauki said a journey of less than 100 kilometres could reportedly take as long as two days because of the poor state of the road.
He explained that the situation had become particularly difficult for residents transporting sick people to hospitals or seeking to move to safer locations.
The protesters also called for the rehabilitation of other roads and infrastructure in the area, saying the challenges had compounded the insecurity confronting residents.
Sadauki said the community had previously written letters, held meetings and travelled to Abuja to present its concerns to relevant authorities.
He added that representatives of Borgu communities in Niger, Kebbi and Kwara states had met in Abuja on August 15 to discuss insecurity, infrastructure and development challenges affecting the region.
According to him, representatives of the Presidency attended the meeting and residents’ concerns were presented, but the response on the ground had remained insufficient.
The youth leader said residents imposed a lockdown in New Bussa as part of efforts to draw attention to the plight of people allegedly trapped or held in the forest.
He stressed that the protest was not aimed at causing violence but was intended to demand government action.
Sadauki called on the authorities to secure the release of the abducted residents, protect communities, repair the damaged bridge and rehabilitate the roads.
He said residents remained willing to cooperate with government officials if concrete steps were taken to address their concerns.
The protesters maintained that security was a responsibility of government and urged authorities to intensify efforts to protect lives and property in Borgu.
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