Thread by @HumAngle_

Sokoto Communities: Terrorised By Armed Groups, Abandoned By Government

[THREAD]

The protracted violent crimes in Isa, a Local Government Area in Sokoto State, Northwest Nigeria, have destroyed family structures with a significant number of people losing their assets and earnings following demands for ransom by terrorists.

A large number of people have relocated entirely from the affected communities to several places where they may survive. But the government has so far not taken significant steps in tracking the displaced and catering for their general well-being.

Many homes, grain stores and properties were set on fire and reduced to piles of bricks in the Local Government Area, estimated to originally have over 200,000 residents.

Isa LGA is about 224 kilometres from the heart of Sokoto city. It is usually a lonely road, deserted due to

fear of attacks from armed groups who operate at will any time of the day. A few vehicles, mostly pickups carrying firewood, could, however, been seen toeing the route.

Isa shares borders with Shinkafi in Zamfara State, Goronyo, Sabon Birni respectively towards the west and

north in Sokoto, and then the Niger Republic. Its location at the border area with Niger and closeness to the Kagara forest, a notorious hideout for terrorist groups, are contributing factors to insecurity in the region.

Terrified And Abandoned

“The people no longer sleep with their eyes closed, the media are not reporting the stories from these communities because no one can risk his life to come to this terrain,” said a traditional leader too afraid to disclose his name for fear of reprisals.

He further lamented that, in some communities close to Shinkafi in Zamfara State, armed groups had become kings as a top government official allegedly said no one should touch them. But this has not stopped them from killing innocent people.

The recent aerial bombardments by the Nigerian Air Force which forced several terror groups to migrate from the western part of the forest resulted in frequent attacks in the name of retaliation, leading to the displacement of thousands of farmers.

Motorists deserted some of the roads completely. One local, who identified himself as Lawalli, said that “not all drivers can risk their lives to take you to that area,” adding that he was attacked the previous week along Yan Yashi axis.

The place is believed to be one of the strategic areas for the groups as they find it easy to mount roadblocks.

Read full report here:

humangle.ng/sokoto-communi…