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Residents of Mokwa in Niger State have blocked the major Mokwa-Bida highway in protest against what they described as persistent attacks and abductions by suspected bandits. The protest, which began amid growing frustration over insecurity in the area, disrupted movement along the major federal road linking the South-West with northern Nigeria. According to the News Agency of Nigeria, all entry points into Mokwa were blocked by protesters, leaving several travellers stranded since Saturday night.
One of the protesters, Saliu Mohammed, alleged that suspected bandits recently abducted 15 residents of the community and claimed that security agencies had yet to rescue the victims. However, the reported number of abductees could not be independently verified. Mohammed said residents would continue the protest until the victims were rescued, reflecting growing anger among locals over what they perceive as inadequate security response to repeated attacks.
The blockade caused significant hardship for motorists and passengers using the route. Joy Amaechi, a commuter travelling from Ilorin to Abuja, said she had been stuck in Mokwa for about five hours and appealed for urgent government intervention. A commercial driver, Henry Nwachuckwu, also said he arrived in the area around 7am on Sunday but found the highway still blocked by protesters as of about 10:30am. The Mokwa-Bida highway, which stretches for more than 100 kilometres, is an important transport corridor connecting travellers between the South-West and northern parts of the country.
