Banditry: Protesters block Mokwa-Bida Highway, travellers stranded

Commuters and other road users were left stranded along the busy Mokwa-Bida highway in Niger State after protesters blocked the road to demand urgent action over alleged persistent bandit attacks in the area.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who visited the scene, reported that protesters blocked all entry points into Mokwa, leaving several travellers unable to continue their journeys.

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

One of the protesters, Saliu Mohammed, alleged that suspected bandits recently abducted 15 residents of the community.

The claim could not be independently verified.

Mohammed further alleged that security agencies had yet to rescue the victims, insisting that the protest would continue 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 knowing when the road would be reopened.

She appealed to the government to intervene urgently and ensure the safe rescue of the alleged abductees.

Similarly, a driver with a major mass transit company, Henry Nwachuckwu, said he arrived in Mokwa at about 7am on Sunday but remained stranded.

As of about 10:30am when the report was filed, the protesters were still occupying the highway, preventing the free movement of vehicles in and out of Mokwa.

The development has further raised concerns over the security situation along the Mokwa-Bida axis, a major route linking communities and travellers within Niger State and beyond.