Protesters Block Mokwa-Bida Highway Over Alleged Banditry

Commuters along the busy Mokwa-Bida highway in Niger State were stranded after protesters blocked the road over alleged persistent bandit attacks and abductions in the area.

The Mokwa-Bida highway, a federal road spanning more than 100 kilometres, is a major transport link connecting the South-West with northern Nigeria.

A News Agency of Nigeria correspondent at the scene reported that protesters blocked all entry points into Mokwa, leaving motorists and travellers unable to continue their journeys.

Many commuters were reportedly stranded from Saturday night as the protest disrupted movement along the highway.

One of the protesters, Saliu Mohammed, alleged that suspected bandits had recently abducted 15 residents of the community. The claim could not be independently verified.

Mohammed also alleged that security agencies had yet to rescue the victims, adding that the protesters would remain on the highway until the abducted residents were freed.

A commuter travelling from Ilorin to Abuja, Joy Amaechi, said she had spent about five hours in Mokwa without any resolution, and appealed to the government to intervene urgently.

A driver with a mass transit company, Henry Nwachuckwu, said he arrived in Mokwa around 7am on Sunday. As of 10:30am, when the report was filed, the protesters were still occupying the highway.