Pandemonium in Sokoto as bandits sack traditional, political structure in communities, appoint judges

The lawmaker representing Sokoto East in the Senate, Senator Ibrahim Gobir, has raised alarm over an alleged invasion and subsequent takeover of both traditional and political structures by bandits in his constituency.

Gobir, who lamented that criminal gangs had sacked traditional and political institutions in most villages and towns in the area, claimed government forces told his people they could not protect them from the bandits because the hoodlums had better weapons.

According to the All Progressives Congress lawmaker, those whose villages are not too far from the border between Nigeria and the Republic of Niger are a bit safe because they are usually protected by Nigerien soldiers.

The legislator said, “Our biggest problem now is that the bandits have taken over many villages and are having a field day.

“They have constituted themselves as judges. They have sacked the traditional and political institutions there, so there are no judges at all.

“The bandits now settle disputes between people. They resolve quarrels between husband and wife and so on.”

He said the situation in his area was quite lamentable because they had been talking to the Federal Government and sending the resolutions of their meetings but the government had not come to their aid.

He added, “If you look at the situation in that area, there is no farming because if the bandits find you on the farm, they will shoot you.

“If you sell a cow, the following day or at night, someone will come and collect the money.

“They sometimes surround a whole town or village and kill as many as they can and then take away whatever they want and burn the whole place.