Fed up with the constant killings and kidnappings in their communities, youths in Sokoto are now vowing to take up arms in self-defence, saying they can no longer watch helplessly as bandits terrorise their people.
The decision, driven by deep frustration over the government’s slow response to growing insecurity, marks a desperate shift as young people who once hoped for protection now feel compelled to defend their families and farmlands themselves.
The youths, drawn from local communities, say their patience has been stretched to its limit by relentless assaults that have forced residents to flee their homes and abandon their livelihoods.
Furthermore, they argue that the state’s inability to guarantee safety has left them with “no choice but to fight back.”
This development emerged on Thursday after a virtual meeting of young leaders from Shagari Local Government Area in Sokoto State, where kidnapping and killings have become a terrifying routine.
The meeting, which culminated in a statement signed by youth activist Bello Shagari, described the move as a “last-resort decision” taken to save lives.
“The government has done little to protect us,” Shagari said. “We cannot sit idle while our people suffer. Although we prefer peace, we can no longer watch while lives are being lost and property destroyed daily.”
According to the group, the repeated attacks have displaced entire families, disrupted farming activities, and exposed villages to constant danger, crippling the region’s economy and forcing many into poverty.
They appealed to both the Sokoto State Government and the Federal Government to urgently deploy more security personnel to Shagari and neighbouring communities, stressing that only proactive intervention could prevent a descent into total lawlessness.
“We are calling for immediate action, not promises,” the youths warned. “If the authorities fail to act now, we will have no choice but to defend ourselves with any means available.”
However, security experts have cautioned that arming communities could worsen the violence. Analysts fear that while the move may provide short-term relief, it risks triggering cycles of retaliation and deepening instability in an already volatile region.
